20 August 2024
The LEO Foundation is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Exactly 40 years ago – on 20 August 1984 – the LEO Foundation was established by Knud Abildgaard, who, together with his wife Gertrud Abildgaard, owned Denmark’s largest pharmaceutical company, “Løvens kemiske Fabrik” – today known as LEO Pharma.
Abildgaard wanted to ensure the continuance and independence of the company by transferring the ownership to a foundation. Long story short – on 20 August 1984, Abildgaard signed a deed of gift and donated all shares in LEO Pharma to the LEO Foundation. This marked the beginning of the LEO Foundation.
For many years, the LEO Foundation lived a quiet life, but much has changed over the years.
Today, the Foundation’s primary objective remains to ensure the continuance of LEO Pharma – thereby helping to advance the standard of care for the millions of people living with skin diseases.
Additionally, the LEO Foundation’s philanthropic activities support independent research that strengthens our understanding of the skin and its diseases.
40 years of the Foundation
The LEO Foundation was founded in 1984 by LEO Pharma’s owner, Knud Abildgaard, primarily to secure the continuance of the company.
The LEO Foundation’s Charter stipulates that the Foundation must always be the controlling owner of LEO Pharma.
The LEO Foundation will mark its 40th anniversary by awarding an anniversary prize of 5 million Danish kroner (EUR 670,500) to an active researcher who has made an extraordinary contribution to skin research. The recipient of the prize will be announced on 5 September at the Foundation’s anniversary reception.
The story of the LEO Foundation stretches back more than 400 years to 1620, when King Christian IV granted a Royal Warrant to Løve Apoteket – the lion pharmacy – in Copenhagen. Read more about the LEO Foundation’s history.
The LEO Foundation awarded its first philanthropic grant in 2011. Since then around more than DKK 1.3 billion have been awarded to support independent research around the world. This makes the LEO Foundation one of the world’s largest private funders of independent skin research. And we are committed to doubling our philanthropic grants to research and education to around 500 million Danish kroner by 2030.
“The LEO Foundation builds on a rich history with research into and treatment of skin diseases at its heart – and our purpose is clear. We want to do our part in paving the way for curing skin diseases. Our efforts as company owner, philanthropist, and investor are all aimed at making a difference for people living with skin diseases,” says Peter Haahr, CEO, the LEO Foundation.
The LEO Foundation is marking its 40th anniversary at a reception on 5 September 2024. At this event, a special anniversary prize of DKK 5 million (EUR 670,500) will be awarded to a researcher who has made an extraordinary contribution to skin research.