Inside Lilly's biotech startup factory

SAN DIEGO — Inside the social room on the second floor of a building at Lilly Gateway Labs in San Diego, researchers and scientists gathered in separate groups, casually discussing ongoing projects or sharing lunchtime conversation on Thursday.

Next door to the spacious, comfortable social room was a module — a combination of an office space and a laboratory — of a resident biotechnology firm.

"Our philosophy is that the access to our scientific leadership and expertise is just as valuable as th ...