Four-way partnership formed among Ministry of Health and Welfare, Incheon, Samsung Biologics and Eli Lilly

Songdo to host world's seventh Lilly Gateway Labs

Up to 30 drug development startups to be nurtured by 2027

An aerial view of Songdo International City in Incheon, which is emerging as a global biotech industrial complex. [Incheon city government]
An aerial view of Songdo International City in Incheon, which is emerging as a global biotech industrial complex. [Incheon city government]

Songdo International City in Incheon is moving to transform itself from a hub centered on biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing into a full-scale AI-driven research and development base for innovative new drugs.

With the South Korean government joining a collaboration already in place between Eli Lilly and Samsung Biologics, the push to build a globally connected innovation ecosystem — linking biotech startup discovery, R&D and investment attraction — is expected to accelerate.

Incheon signed a four-way MOU with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Samsung Biologics and Eli Lilly and Company on Friday at the 2026 AI Bio New Drug Hub Global Summit (ABDD Summit), held at the Inspire Entertainment Resort on Yeongjongdo. The agreement focuses on expanding the domestic biotech industry's production capabilities into drug candidate discovery and foundational technology development, while laying the groundwork for promising biotech companies to enter global markets.

The centerpiece of the initiative is a facility at Songdo's Second Bio Campus that will house Samsung Biologics' C-Lab Outside program and Lilly Gateway Labs, Eli Lilly's startup support platform. Spanning approximately 11,550 square meters, the facility is targeted for completion in 2027.

Korea is the third country — after the United States and China — where Lilly Gateway Labs will operate, and the Songdo site will be the seventh location worldwide.

Samsung Biologics and Lilly will divide operational responsibilities: Samsung Biologics will handle facility construction and management as well as analytical and quality verification, while Lilly will provide on-site mentoring from its researchers and connect participants to its global R&D network.

Through the facility, the partners plan to nurture up to 30 promising drug development startups by 2027.

Lilly Gateway Labs is an open-innovation platform designed to help emerging biotech companies tap the expertise and research resources of a global pharmaceutical firm.

Incheon said it expects the global network to strengthen the R&D capabilities of domestic startups and expand their access to overseas investment and commercialization opportunities.

The signatory organizations will jointly pursue the identification and development of promising biotech and healthcare companies, recruit and support tenants for the C-Lab Outside facility, connect startups to Songdo's research infrastructure, and align government policy with related projects. The parties also agreed to form a working-level consultative body as needed to identify specific areas of cooperation.

The summit drew about 250 domestic and international biotech industry figures, including Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae, Korea Lilly President Seiya Komatsu, Lilly Gateway Labs Vice President Verena Stocker and Celltrion CEO Seo Jin-seok.

A conference was also held at the event to share global trends in AI-based drug development and discuss strategies for industry growth.

Major Incheon-based biotech companies — Samsung Biologics, Celltrion, SK Bioscience and Lotte Biologics — presented their innovation and growth strategies, while domestic and international firms and experts including LG Group's AI research institute, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Illumina discussed relevant technologies and industry trends.

A business-growth partnering session followed, with one-on-one consultations among biotech firms, potential clients and investors to explore cooperation in joint R&D, clinical trials, contract development and manufacturing, and investment attraction.

Incheon said it will use the MOU as a springboard to strengthen the biotech industry's R&D foundation and intensify policy support for attracting and growing promising startups. The city plans to advance the biotech pillar of its "ABC+E" future industry strategy under the current municipal administration and develop Songdo into a key node in the global drug development ecosystem.

"This is an important turning point for Songdo to leap beyond world-class biopharmaceutical production and become a global hub for foundational technology R&D that creates innovation and new drugs," Mayor Park said. "We will actively support the open-innovation platform combining Lilly and Samsung Biologics, and make Incheon a world-class biotech city."


gilbert@heraldcorp.com