Eli Lilly Launches San Diego Gateway Labs to Drive Biotech Innovation and Collaboration

Eli Lilly and Company announced the official opening of its newest Lilly Gateway Labs (LGL) site in San Diego, California, expanding its network of shared innovation hubs designed to support early-stage biotechnology companies by providing lab space and opportunities to collaborate with Lilly scientists.

The new facility, developed by and operated in partnership with Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., is located on the One Alexandria Square Megacampus in Torrey Pines. LGL San Diego features 82,514 square feet of flexibly designed laboratory and office space to accommodate up to 15 life sciences companies and more than 250 employees of LGL-based companies. 

"At Lilly, we are committed to meeting the biotech ecosystem on its own terms, supporting companies at every stage and evolving alongside them," said Daniel Skovronsky, M.D., Ph.D., chief scientific officer, and president, Lilly Research Laboratories and Lilly Immunology. "The future of medicine depends on combining the strengths of academia, biotech and large pharma to solve some of the most difficult diseases facing patients. Our expanded presence here enables us to further connect with San Diego's vibrant startup community, world-leading scientists, and research institutions. Through collaborative spaces like Lilly Gateway Labs, we're enabling bold science to thrive."  

Lilly Gateway Labs offers startups access to wet lab facilities along with tailored scientific engagement and strategic guidance to help navigate the complexities of drug discovery and development. The model is designed to accelerate progress towards key milestones by combining infrastructure with deep expertise. LGL San Diego is Lilly's fourth U.S. Gateway Labs site, joining two locations in South San Francisco and one in Boston. The model is also expanding globally, with a newly opened LGL site in Beijing. Since the first Gateway Labs site opened in 2019, LGL-based companies have raised more than $2 billion in capital, supporting the development of 50+ therapeutics and platforms now in progress.

"Our Lilly Gateway Labs model is working. We've seen sustained growth by staying true to our high-touch partnership approach. We start every engagement by asking how we can help. That mindset drives everything we do, from activating the Lilly network to provide scientific input to offering timely strategic counsel that helps founders avoid common pitfalls," said Julie Gilmore, Ph.D., vice president, and global head of Lilly Gateway Labs and Catalyze360 Portfolio Management. "As we expand in innovation centers such as San Diego, we're continuing our focus on scaling sustainably while preserving a hands-on approach that makes a meaningful difference for our partners."