Dr. Jacob Pontoppidan Thyssen is the new Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer for LEO Pharma’s Research and Early Development arm.

Dr. Jacob Pontoppidan Thyssen is the new Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer for LEO Pharma’s Research and Early Development arm.

The company announced that a significant shift in R&D to a research model in early 2023. The change aims to drive the early-stage pipeline with externally sourced innovation and maximize the value to patients of three assets in late-stage development: tralokinumab, delgocitinib and IL-22R, ensuring competitive labels and the fastest possible approvals and launches.

To support these two  pillars, LEO Pharma announced a split of its Research and Development organization into two distinct areas, both represented in the Global Leadership Team (GLT). The two GLT members – a Chief Scientific Officer and a Chief Development Officer – will both report to CEO Christophe Bourdon.

As of May 1, 2023, Dr. Jacob Pontoppidan Thyssen will take over the responsibility for Research and Early Development in the role as EVP and Chief Scientific Officer, and Dr. Jörg Möller will, on an interim basis, take on the role as EVP and Chief Development Officer and continue to lead the Development organization.

“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,” says Christophe Bourdon, CEO of LEO Pharma, in a news release. “I am delighted to welcome Jacob to LEO Pharma and the Global Leadership Team and am confident that his experience will help spearhead our innovative portfolio. I am also very happy that Jörg has agreed to stay onboard in the interim. He can now fully focus on leading the Development organization and the activities of our clinical pipeline assets post proof-of-concept with an emphasis on the late-stage assets: tralokinumab, delgocitinib and IL-22R.”

Jacob Pontoppidan Thyssen is a dermatologist affiliated with the University of Copenhagen, where he has served as a professor for many years, as well as with Bispebjerg Hospital in Denmark. His research has focused on inflammatory skin diseases, where he has paid particular attention to atopic dermatitis and chronic hand eczema, key focus areas of LEO Pharma. 

“I am truly excited to join LEO Pharma. Medical dermatology is developing at a very fast pace and I see a great opportunity for LEO Pharma to positively impact patient care, now and in the future. This is a unique opportunity to fully leverage my clinical and research mindset to the company along with a personal network of top leaders in dermatology for the benefit of patients affected by skin diseases,” he says

”LEO Pharma is on an exciting transformation journey and maximizing the opportunities in our late-stage pipeline will be a major focus for the organization. In this context, I continue to support the transition to the adjusted R&D strategy which we announced in January this year on an interim basis with a focus on our clinical pipeline assets post proof-of-concept, especially tralokinumab, delgocitinib and IL-22R,” adds Jörg Möller:

Thorsten Thormann, currently VP Research and Early Development, is leaving LEO Pharma. During the transition, Thorsten will work with Jacob to ensure a smooth handover.

Thorsten has been with LEO Pharma for almost 20 years. He has been instrumental in driving LEO Pharma’s Research & Early Development forward, and most recently, in developing the adjusted R&D strategy.

“I would like to thank Thorsten for everything he has done for LEO Pharma in Research and Early development for the past years. We are in a good place today because of his curiosity, dedication and support. Thorsten has also played a key role in bringing assets such as delgocitinib and IL-22R to LEO Pharma. I sincerely wish him all the best of success in his next endeavor,” says Christophe Bourdon: