Samsung Biologics filed an injunction against Lotte Biologics and three of its former employees to stop them from moving to Lotte Biologics.

Newsis, a local media outlet, reported that Samsung filed for an injunction against Lotte BioLogics and three former employees at the Seoul Eastern District Court on Tuesday.

Samsung Biologics confirmed that this is the third injunction application that Samsung has filed against Lotte Biologics after an injunction in June last year (Incheon District Court) and February this year (Seoul Central District Court).

Samsung Biologics also sent its fourth proof of content to Lotte Biologics on Wednesday, requesting they stop their recruitment activities.

Lotte Biologics was unavailable for immediate comments. 

The two companies began to clash in 2022 as Lotte Biologics started its biopharmaceutical business in earnest.

Since its establishment in June 2022, Lotte Biologics has hired many of its positions with ex-Samsung Biologics employees.

Lotte Biologics CEO Richard Lee is a former Samsung Biologics executive who worked at Samsung Biologics from 2011 to 2021.

According to Saramin, a recruitment website, Samsung Biologics had 4,646 employees as of June, and Lotte Biologics, 64 employees as of March.

Industry watchers expect that the scuffle between the two will worsen after Lotte Biologics completes the construction of its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) plant in Songdo, which is right in front of Samsung Biologics's plant. 

Industry watchers stressed that Samsung Biologics' sensitivity to personnel issues is due to concerns about technology leaks.

"As the biopharmaceutical emphasizes the importance of technology as well as talent acquisition, conflicts regarding personnel recruitment will not be easy to resolve," an industry watcher told Korea Biomedical Review. "Bio talent is also scarce in Korea and abroad."

Considering that companies want to secure highly experienced personnel at the level of global companies, such conflicts are likely to continue, he added.