Verena Stocker, Head of Eli Lilly Gateway Labs Europe, speaks at Bio Korea 2026 on the 30th. By reporter Han Tae-hee
Global pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has officially announced the operational plan for Gateway Labs, an incubation hub it plans to establish next year in partnership with Samsung Biologics (207940.KS). The initiative will focus on selecting early-stage companies and recruit tenants broadly across a wide range of modalities, including antibodies, small-molecule drugs, and cell and gene therapies (CGT).
Lilly participated in BIO KOREA 2026 on Thursday and unveiled its domestic operation plan for Gateway Labs. “We will focus on recruiting early-stage companies at the seed and Series A investment stages,” said Verena Stocker, head of Gateway Labs Europe. “We will nurture a diverse range of promising companies without restrictions on modalities.”
Gateway Labs is Lilly’s incubation program that provides research facilities and fosters collaboration through direct exchange with resident researchers. It is currently operated at six locations worldwide, including the United States and China. In March this year, Lilly decided to enter the Korean market through its partnership with Samsung Biologics.
Regarding Gateway Labs’ entry into Korea, Stocker said, “Korea has a solid foundation in basic science, as evidenced by the number of scientific papers published in journals such as Nature, and is rapidly increasing its number of biotech ventures as well as innovation in new drug fields such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADC).” She added, “With government support, we have also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, creating a favorable environment for multinational pharmaceutical companies to operate.”
Lilly expanded its collaboration with Korean companies last year by signing licensing agreements with Olix, Rznomics, and ABL Bio. The company plans to identify additional partnership opportunities in Korea through the establishment of Gateway Labs. “Gateway Labs is a long-term collaboration platform that considers not only scientific advice but also mergers and acquisitions (M&A) such as asset acquisitions,” Stocker said. “Along with providing high-quality research facilities, we will also link support through Lilly’s global network.”
Lilly and Samsung Biologics will establish Gateway Labs by 2027 and jointly nurture approximately 30 early-stage biotech ventures. Lilly will provide research and development infrastructure, while Samsung Biologics will support biotech ventures based on its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) capabilities spanning from the clinical stage to commercial production. Samsung Biologics also plans to establish an industry promotion fund worth 25 billion won ($18 million) to provide direct support to biotech companies based in Songdo.
Meanwhile, Gateway Labs’ Korean base will be established at C-Lab Outside, located within Samsung Biologics’ Second Bio Campus in Songdo, Incheon. The residency program is structured as a basic four-year arrangement, with an initial two-year term that can be extended by an additional two years. Applications will be accepted from the end of this year, with full-scale evaluation and selection procedures to begin next year.