BIOTECH STARTUP BOOST IN INCHEON
Last week, Samsung Biologics and Eli Lilly and Company announced a new strategic collaboration to introduce Lilly Gateway Labs (LGL). The future five-story, 125,000 sq. ft. facility will be constructed at Samsung Biologics’ Bio Campus II, which is currently still under construction in Songdo. LGL will provide laboratory space and research infrastructure to early-stage biotech companies, offering collaborative space and operational support as startups move toward development and manufacturing. The site is expected to become operational by 2027, as the duo plan to select up to 30 companies to occupy the space. “Korea has emerged as a vibrant center for life sciences innovation with exceptional scientific talent,” said LGL VP and Global Head Julie Gilmore. “By establishing Gateway Labs here, we’re creating a hub where early-stage companies can access the resources, expertise and connections needed to accelerate their journey from discovery to development, strengthening both local and global biotech innovation.”
Rendering courtesy of P&G Gillette
A SITE GROOMED FOR NEW HQ OPERATIONS
A headquarters shift is now in the works for Procter & Gamble’s Gillette brand, which has announced it is in the process of purchasing a new South Boston site. The company has operated in this Massachusetts region for over 125 years and now looks to open a new $1 billion Grooming Headquarters and Technical Innovation Center. The move comes as part of the company’s greater growth strategy, which includes an expansion of Gillette’s manufacturing facility in Andover. The future site, which formerly served as a joint venture facility between Tishman Speyer and Bellco Capital, is permitted to house a 324,315-sq.-ft. R&D facility. “Transforming our grooming business for the future required that we think creatively about every aspect of our operations. After a comprehensive search, we are pleased to have found a location that continues our longstanding history in this community, provides the right structure for our Technical Innovation Center, and supports neighborhood development,” said P&G Gillette CEO Gary Coombe. “We are investing nearly $1 billion in this site and our future South Boston facility, reflecting our confidence in Boston as a global innovation hub and our intention to anchor this innovation district for years to come.”
Photo courtesy of CSL
BETTER TECH, HEALTHIER LIVES
Global biopharma manufacturer CSL has officially broken ground on its $1.5 billion plasma-derived production facility expansion in northeastern Illinois. The company’s release noted the Kankakee facility will incorporate CSL’s Horizon 2 manufacturing process, which enables significantly greater production of immunoglobulin from the same base amount of plasma. “This site expansion marks an important step forward in increasing efficiency by incorporating new, innovative manufacturing processes and technology into how we produce the plasma-based medicines needed by so many people,” said CSL EVP and COO Mary Oates. “These improvements will increase protein yield from each gram of plasma collected, strengthening Kankakee’s role as a vital site in our global network.” CSL expects expansion activity to be complete by 2031, creating 300 direct jobs in the region.
Reports compiled and written by Alexis Elmore
