Further shuffling at Leo Pharma as dermatology drugmaker splits R&D

Danish dermatology drugmaker Leo Pharma said it will split its R&D operations into two separate teams.

The company had about 6,000 employees in early 2022 but, at the time, said it would eliminate 1,000 positions in two years. Then, this January, Leo said it would further reduce headcount by about 300 positions in a rehashing of its sourcing model to emphasize external help in finding orals, topicals and biologics. Leo now says it employs 4,700 people worldwide.

Jacob Pontoppidan Thyssen

To lead the newly siloed units, Leo Pharma named University of Copenhagen professor Jacob Pontoppidan Thyssen as EVP and chief scientific officer. The company also said Jörg Möller would take on the interim role of EVP and development chief. With those two switches, VP of research and early development Thorsten Thormann will depart after almost two decades with Leo.

“This change is about ensuring coherence and focus from early to late-stage across the pipeline. We remain committed to the full development cycle and to a close collaboration between Research and Development,” CEO Christophe Bourdon said in a statement. He joined from Danish biotech Orphazyme last spring.

Leo has topicals, monoclonal antibodies, an IL-17 small-molecule modulator and other assets in the clinic for eczema, alopecia, psoriasis and other indications. The biotech’s late-stage work includes three candidates: tralokinumab, delgocitinib and an anti-IL-22R.

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