Factsheet – Lithuania
Lithuanian lifescience landscape
Lithuania positions itself as a regional life sciences hub, with over 80 companies contributing ~2.5% of GDP and exports to more than 100 countries. The sector supports the national healthcare system by fostering innovation, partnerships, and advanced treatment options such as gene therapy.
Biocity – the hub of alive technologies
BIO CITY is a project led by Northway Group, with subsidiary companies that include the biologics CDMO Northway Biotech and Celltechna. Celltechna is currently in the process of constructing the Gene Therapy Centre, expected to be completed by 2024. By 2030, BIO CITY has plans to unveil five additional complexes, featuring facilities including the R&D and Virology Centre, Life Science Industry Hub Smart Service Centre, Large-Scale Microbial Production Centre, Large-Scale Mammalian Production Centre, and Stem Cell Research and 3D Bioprinting Centre. The entire BIO CITY complex will span an area equivalent to 10 football fields, with the total investment expected to reach approximately 7 billion euros over the next decade.
Funding & budget allocation
BIO CITY in Vilnius represents one of Europe’s largest biotech investments, with a projected €7 billion over the next decade. The first facility – a €50 million Gene Therapy Centre – opening in 2024, creating over 100 high-value jobs, with the full campus expected to employ ~2,100 specialists.
Digital health infrastructure
The campus will integrate six complexes, including GMP manufacturing plants and research centers in virology, stem cells, and 3D bioprinting. By uniting R&D, production, and smart services in one ecosystem, BIO CITY aims to accelerate innovation, enhance interoperability, and attract global biotech collaborations.
Vision
“We envision BIO CITY as a frontrunner in the European biotechnology, by uniquely integrating various biotech segments into a single, synergistic ecosystem. This multifunctional complex will catalyse interdisciplinary collaborations, the quick realisation of ideas and technological advancements. Our unique model, which brings together diverse biotechnology fields in one location, is set to revolutionise the European biotech landscape,” said Prof. V. A. Bumelis.
Key challenges & priorities
BIO CITY underlines Lithuania’s priority to strengthen life sciences leadership, expand international partnerships, and drive economic competitiveness through biotech and digital health innovation. The project aligns with the national strategy to boost R&D intensity, export growth, and job creation in high-tech healthcare sectors.
