Lithuania continues its rise as a life sciences powerhouse in Europe. From impressive GDP contributions to groundbreaking infrastructure projects, the country is setting the pace for innovation and growth in the region.
Sustained growth and international leadership
Lithuania’s life sciences industry continues to grow. Currently contributing 2.6% to the country’s GDP, the sector aims to reach 5% by 2030, a goal that seems achievable given its consistent annual growth of 25% – among the fastest in the European Union.
Tomas Andrejauskas, President of the Lithuanian Biotechnology Association LithuaniaBIO, highlights the sector’s resilience:
“Relative to the pandemic heights, the global life sciences sector is experiencing a downturn. Nevertheless, in Lithuania, this slump is less pronounced, with many new, innovative companies entering the sector. Over the last three years, the life sciences sector in Lithuania has grown an impressive 170%. We expect to maintain this momentum.”
The country’s commitment to life sciences is underscored by its ranking as the 3rd among OECD countries for biotechnology R&D spending intensity. This dedication has translated into impressive export performance, with 92% of pharmaceutical and healthcare products manufactured in Lithuania shipped to over 100 countries, including major markets such as the US, UK, and Germany.
“Lithuania is already a leader in biotechnology in the region, especially in gene editing and CRISPR technologies,” says Jekaterina Kalinienė, Head of BioTech Lab at Innovation Agency Lithuania, a public body fostering innovation. “This position is reinforced by a strong scientific base and close ties between universities and industry. Lithuania also excels in precision fermentation, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and, thanks to robust IT infrastructure and exceptional programming expertise, digital health solutions.”
Innovation in action
Lithuania’s vibrant startup ecosystem is a cornerstone of its life sciences success. The country is home to over 120 life sciences startups – an impressive number for its size and a testament to its evolution from an enzyme research hub to a cutting-edge life sciences innovator, says Tomas Andrejauskas:
“Since the 70s, Lithuania has been an R&D centre and producer for novel enzymes that are used in pharmaceuticals. Over the last decade and a half, gene editing and gene therapies have been another field where Lithuania emerged as a leader. And in the past few years, there have been a number of innovative startups developing MedTech products and various AI applications in life sciences.”
Two Lithuanian startups that have made headlines this year are Biomatter and Ligence, both leveraging AI to transform their respective fields. Biomatter, based in Vilnius, raised €6.5 million in August to expand its generative AI platform for enzyme design, enabling faster development of enzymes for medicine, agriculture, and sustainable manufacturing. Meanwhile, Ligence, a MedTech startup in Kaunas, secured €3 million in November to further its AI-driven echocardiography solution, which automates heart ultrasound analysis, dramatically improving diagnostic speed and accuracy.
Equally notable achievements came last year. Atrandi Biosciences raised €4.5 million to commercialize its cutting-edge droplet microfluidics technology, enabling unprecedented insights into single cells and molecules. This technology is paving the way for faster drug discovery and personalized medicine. Sentante, another standout, secured €6 million to advance its teleoperated robotic systems for endovascular procedures, which enable safer, more precise interventions and reduce physician exposure to radiation.
Bio City: a future-forward vision
Lithuania’s ambition in life sciences goes beyond fostering startups. Bio City, a €7 billion project by Northway Group, is set to become Europe’s largest biotechnology campus. Scheduled for completion by 2030, the development will span an area equivalent to 10 football fields and employ 2,000 specialists.
Bio City’s design is remarkably comprehensive, ranging from gene therapy and virology centres to facilities for stem cell research and 3D bioprinting laboratories. As Jekaterina Kalinienė explains, Bio City will position Lithuania’s capital Vilnius as a major biotechnology hub in the Baltic region, competing with established centres in Uppsala and Copenhagen.
“BioCity will help Lithuania become even more attractive to international investors and companies seeking biotechnology partnerships. The project will foster international collaborations involving EU countries, the United States, and Asian biotech leaders, creating a regional hub that attracts talented scientists and professionals from around the world.”
BioCity is already making strides with the completion of Celltechna, the Baltic region’s first gene therapy centre. Representing a €50 million investment, the centre spans 8,000 square meters and is set to employ 100 specialists in cutting-edge gene therapy research and cGMP manufacturing.
Gene therapy represents a paradigm shift in modern medicine, and given its expertise in gene editing, Lithuania has every opportunity to solidify its position as a hub for next-generation treatments, says Andrejauskas:
“Gene therapy is the next generation of medicine. Unlike traditional medicines that are taken over a person’s lifetime and alleviate symptoms, gene therapies can target the underlying cause of a genetic disease at the cellular level, potentially with just one treatment. This is a new frontier, and Lithuania is at the forefront of it.”
