Eli Lilly and Company has officially opened its newest Lilly Gateway Labs (LGL) location in San Diego, California, marking an expansion of its shared innovation hubs that support early-stage biotechnology companies. The San Diego facility aims to provide lab space and foster collaboration opportunities with Lilly scientists, enhancing the company’s commitment to advancing biotech innovation.
Located on the One Alexandria Square Megacampus in Torrey Pines, the new site was developed in partnership with Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. It offers 82,514 square feet of flexible laboratory and office space, designed to accommodate up to 15 life sciences companies and more than 250 employees working within LGL-based ventures.
Daniel Skovronsky, M.D., Ph.D., Lilly’s chief scientific officer and president of Lilly Research Laboratories and Lilly Immunology, emphasized the company’s dedication to supporting biotech startups at all stages. He highlighted the importance of combining strengths across academia, biotech, and large pharma to address some of the most challenging diseases. The San Diego site will deepen Lilly’s connection to the city’s vibrant startup ecosystem, renowned scientists, and research institutions.
Lilly Gateway Labs offers startups access to wet lab facilities alongside tailored scientific engagement and strategic guidance to help them navigate the complexities of drug discovery and development. This approach accelerates progress by pairing state-of-the-art infrastructure with Lilly’s expertise. The San Diego location is the company’s fourth U.S. Gateway Labs site, joining two in South San Francisco and one in Boston, and follows the recent opening of a global site in Beijing. Since its launch in 2019, Gateway Labs has supported companies that have raised over $2 billion in capital and are developing more than 50 therapeutics and platforms.
Julie Gilmore, Ph.D., vice president and global head of Lilly Gateway Labs and Catalyze360 Portfolio Management, underscored the success of the Gateway Labs model, which centers on close partnerships and a hands-on approach. She noted that the expansion in innovation hubs like San Diego is focused on sustainable growth while maintaining the high-touch support that has made the program effective.
The biotechs based at LGL San Diego cover a broad spectrum of therapeutic approaches and disease areas, including next-generation modalities targeting some of the body’s most complex and hard-to-treat conditions.
Lilly Gateway Labs is part of Lilly Catalyze360, a broader innovation ecosystem that includes Lilly Ventures, Lilly ExploR&D, and Lilly TuneLab. Together, these initiatives provide access to capital, lab space, technology, and research capabilities—including advanced AI models—to accelerate biotech innovation.