Vilnius Becomes the Gateway: A Promising Partnership Unites Lithuanian and South Korean Life Sciences Leaders

When creating innovations that change the world, vast geographical distances are not a barrier – what matters most is a shared vision and common values. This is illustrated by the success story of Caszyme, one of the leading life sciences companies in Lithuania. Two years ago, during the Life Sciences Baltics forum organized by the Innovation Agency, Caszyme signed a cooperation agreement with South Korean biotechnology company nSAGE. Today, the two are already implementing ambitious joint projects and planning their shared future. 

International Partnerships Are Essential for Sector Growth 

According to Martynas Survilas, Head of the Breakthrough Department at the Innovation Agency Lithuania, this collaboration perfectly illustrates the potential of Lithuania’s life sciences sector and highlights the importance of cross-border partnerships in developing advanced, high value-added solutions. 

“Lithuania is one of the fastest-growing life sciences hubs in Europe, attracting the attention of industry players and investors from around the globe. The sector grows by around 30% annually and currently accounts for approximately 2.7% of the country’s GDP. We aim to increase this share to 5% by 2030. To achieve this, we must continue encouraging international collaboration between Lithuanian life sciences companies and startups – not only in academia but also in applied research, development, and commercialization,” M. Survilas emphasizes. 

South Korea – A Valuable Partner 

One of the key platforms for such cooperation, networking, partnership-building, project initiation, and investment attraction is Life Sciences Baltics, the premier life sciences event in the Baltic region, organized biennially by the Innovation Agency. It was at this forum that Caszyme, a company developing advanced CRISPR-Cas gene-editing technologies, signed the agreement that set in motion joint projects with South Korean partners. 

“This forum is undoubtedly one of the most important regional events for Lithuania’s biotech sector. It offers a unique opportunity not only to showcase Lithuania’s life sciences potential to international guests, but also to open doors to global partnerships. The collaboration established with nSAGE is significant not only from a scientific or economic standpoint, but also in terms of increasing Lithuania’s visibility on the international stage,” says Dr. Monika Paulė, CEO and co-founder of Caszyme. 

According to Dr. Paulė, South Korea is one of the global leaders in high value-added technologies, with biotechnology being one of its fastest-growing sectors. For Lithuania, this cooperation is beneficial in many ways. 

Joining Forces for Faster Disease Diagnostics 

Following the signing of their agreement in Vilnius, Caszyme and nSAGE began developing joint projects aimed at expanding the applications of CRISPR-Cas gene-editing technology in diagnostics. 

The companies recently won a major international grant, and together with Vilnius University, they launched a new project titled UNCOVER, which started in April. The project brings together researchers from all three institutions to advance faster disease diagnostics. 

“Partnership is the key element that connects unique expertise and knowledge with innovative solutions. Through our collaboration with nSAGE and Vilnius University, we aim to leverage the versatility of CRISPR technology and transform it into practical diagnostic tools,” says Dr. M. Paulė. 

The project partners are developing a universal CRISPR-based diagnostic platform designed for rapid and accurate detection of infectious diseases. The platform will be versatile, user-friendly, suitable for both human and animal health, and easily programmable to detect a variety of pathogens and disease markers. 

According to Dr. M. Paulė, the companies and university scientists each bring their unique experiences, specialized knowledge, and strongest competencies to the project – elements that complement one another and drive innovation and progress in the sector. 

Life Sciences Baltics 2025 – An International Gateway 

This year’s Life Sciences Baltics forum will take place in Vilnius on September 17–18, under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Lithuania and with support from the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation. 

More than 1,000 participants, over 50 industry-leading speakers, and more than 80 companies and startups from 33 countries are expected to take part. 

The forum places particular emphasis on personalizing the experience of every attendee and fostering networking and collaboration opportunities. In addition, the Innovation Agency actively organizes delegations of Lithuanian life sciences representatives to international exhibitions and conferences abroad – helping local businesses establish important global connections.