Nimble by Design: BioLegend’s Collaborative Approach to Business

BioLegend is a protein and antibody company that prides itself on its customer focus. When scientists were frustrated by the lack of directly conjugated antibodies for their flow cytometry experiments, BioLegend developed and brought to market a multitude of fluorophore conjugated antibodies, including the introduction of the novel family of fluorophores named Brilliant Violet™. A further example of BioLegend’s commitment to discovery is reflected in the MaxPar® Ready antibody product line, which improves the efficiency of the metal conjugation process for use in mass cytometry. 

These are examples of how, by collaborating with the people who are conducting biomedical research, BioLegend has been able to introduce over 13,000 products, services, and tools that speed up research at an affordable price.

Founded with a purpose

The roots of this collaborative spirit go back to the start of the company itself in 2002 in San Diego, California.  The founder and current CEO Gene Lay had a mission; he would start an antibody and reagents company that could be a true partner to researchers seeking cures to deadly diseases.  His vision was to build a company that maintains low prices, makes high-quality products and provides excellent service.  

Lay’s early career aspirations were a bit different. He dreamed of being a fighter jet pilot. And like all parents, Gene’s were worried about his safety so they convinced a cousin surreptitiously to show him the gravesites of fallen jet fighter pilots at a local cemetery.  Their plan worked. Military and flight school yielded to senior high school. 

Gene’s parents wanted him to pursue a career in medicine.  He attended university in the late 1970s and majored in veterinary medicine—not exactly the traditional route his parents had hoped for, but perhaps close enough.  In his senior year, Gene took a course in advanced immunology.  

That’s when his flight path changed. 

Georges Kohler and Cesar Milstein had just received the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine in 1984. They developed a solution with the creation of immortal cell lines known as hybridomas. These cells allow for the mass production of monoclonal antibodies. Their work excited Gene immensely and sparked a deep desire to pursue a career in the emerging biotech field.   

Early days in the lab 

After two years of compulsory military service, Gene took a job with an animal vaccine company.  Three months later, he received a call from the recruiter at EVERNEW, one of three biotech companies in Taiwan, and his first choice. He jumped at the opportunity to roll up his sleeves in a real biotech lab. He spent two years working on developing a monoclonal antibody sandwich ELISA micro-titer plate for hepatitis B diagnostics.

Eager to further advance his knowledge and career, Gene then applied to graduate school in the U.S.  He left Taiwan in 1987 for the University of Louisiana.  The following Christmas Gene met Ernie Chun-Ming Huang through family connections back in Taiwan.  Ernie asked Gene if his family would consider investing in PharMingen, Ernie’s startup biotech venture, and offered to make Gene co-founder.    

Eight months later and master’s degree in hand, Gene and his wife packed all of their worldly possessions in five suitcases, loaded up their Ford LTD and left Louisiana for San Diego, California.   

Over the next nine years Ernie and Gene grew PharMingen to about 250 employees.  In 1997 BD Biosciences acquired PharMingen.  Not interested in retiring, Gene hit on an idea that harkened back to his initial excitement about medical research: he wanted to build another company that would remain nimble and stay close to its customers.

BioLegend defies common wisdom

There is an old business adage that says, “There is good, there is fast and there is cheap.  You can pick two of the three but you can’t have all three.”  BioLegend endeavors to provide all three. It delivers more than 100 new products every month. Researchers in academia and corporate sector are apparently quite happy. To date, BioLegend’s antibodies and research products have more than 13,000 citations in biomedical journals. 

Striving to keep experiments economical for academic and corporate customers, BioLegend has not raised prices in twelve years since its inception due in part to its optimized internal processes to improve efficiency, such as scaling up batches.

As a leader sculpted by military service and his role as a lieutenant, Gene insists on leanness and self-efficiency.  None of the executives in his company have an assistant.

Gene’s vision to do great things for medical research continues to manifest in BioLegend’s growth. Adding to immunology, cancer, and stem cell product lines is the recent acquisition of Covance Antibodies, which makes antibodies for research projects seeking a cure for Parkinson Disease and other neurological diseases. 

Commitment to quality and a built-to-last vision are signature characteristics of the BioLegend brand that extend to its CEO’s outside passions, which include collecting fine art and fine wine.