Samsung Bio Files First Injunction Request Against Lotte Bio for 'Trade Secret Infringement'

Samsung Biologics has filed a provisional injunction to prohibit trade secret infringement against Lotte Biologics.

Samsung Biologics Plant 3 exterior view.
[Photo by Samsung Biologics]

According to industry sources on the 23rd, Samsung Biologics recently filed a provisional injunction with the court against Lotte Biologics to prohibit trade secret infringement. Accordingly, a hearing on this case was held in camera at the Seoul Central District Court on the 21st. While Samsung Biologics has previously taken legal action against employees who moved to Lotte Biologics, this is the first time it has taken legal action against the company Lotte Biologics itself.

Since last year, Samsung Biologics has been pursuing legal action against employees who transferred to Lotte Biologics. Last year, Samsung Biologics filed a provisional injunction to prohibit trade secret infringement against three former employees who moved to Lotte Biologics, and in July of the same year, the Incheon District Court partially granted the injunction. In August of the same year, four employees who moved to Lotte Biologics were criminally charged. In March, the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office indicted one of them without detention on charges of violating the Act on the Prevention of Unfair Competition and Trade Secret Protection and breach of trust.

In response, a Lotte Biologics official stated, "We have never infringed on another company's trade secrets, and we recruit personnel fairly."

Meanwhile, Samsung Biologics sent three consecutive certified letters to Lotte Biologics around February, demanding the immediate cessation of personnel poaching activities. Despite ongoing legal procedures regarding the controversy over confidential information leaks by employees who moved to Lotte Biologics, the industry views this as Samsung Biologics continuing to poach personnel from them.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.