31 March 2025
Today, the LEO Foundation launches its annual report for 2024.
In 2024, the LEO Foundation marked a milestone year – celebrating its 40th anniversary while making strong progress in its commitment to help pave the way for curing skin diseases across engaged ownership, philanthropic activities, and financial investments.
Highlights:
- Engaged ownership: As an engaged, long-term shareholder of LEO Pharma, the LEO Foundation is committed to supporting the company’s development and success. In 2024, LEO Pharma made significant progress, delivering strong organic revenue growth of 10% and significantly improved earnings. The company also advanced its innovation agenda with the approval and launch of the topical Anzupgo® for chronic hand eczema (CHE) which became available in the first European markets in the fourth quarter of 2024. The progress made in 2024 keeps the company on track to meet its profitability targets for 2025, as well as its long-term strategic objectives as a global leader in dermatology.
- Philanthropy: Beyond company ownership, the LEO Foundation is one of the largest private funders globally of independent skin research. In 2024, the Foundation awarded DKK 275 million in funding for independent skin research and awareness activities across 75 grants. This included a special anniversary prize to mark the Foundation’s 40th anniversary. Notably, the Foundation’s research funding programs were expanded with the introduction of two new grant programs aimed at encouraging researcher collaboration and facilitating knowledge exchange.
- Investments: The backbone of the LEO Foundation’s ability to drive long-term value is its financial investments. In 2024, the Foundation’s financial portfolio benefited from positive financial markets and delivered a solid income of DKK 2,184 million, corresponding to a return of 13.3%, with all asset classes contributing positively. At year-end, the Foundation was managing DKK 18.3 billion in financial assets.
- Overall, the result for the LEO Group was positively impacted by continued progress on the strategic priorities across the LEO Group and a solid gain on the Foundation’s financial investments. This was offset by a net loss of DKK 1,776 million at LEO Pharma, resulting in a positive net profit for the year of DKK 303 million.
Peter Haahr, CEO, the LEO Foundation says:
“We are proud of the solid progress made across ownership, philanthropic, and investment activities during 2024, all of which are keeping the LEO Group on track to achieve its long-term ambitions. As we celebrate our 40-year legacy, we look ahead with even greater ambitions, intensifying our efforts to drive change for millions of people living with skin diseases. I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has been part of the LEO Group’s journey during 2024 – and over the past 40 years. Thank you for your dedication and hard work.”
Looking ahead
Looking into 2025, we are encouraged by LEO Pharma targeting continued revenue growth, improved profitability, and strategic innovation. Philanthropic funding is set to increase by 27% to DKK 350 million. During 2025, we also plan to introduce a new long-term grant strategy and enhance our investment approach to further strengthen both return and impact.
About the LEO Foundation
The LEO Foundation, established in 1984, is a Danish enterprise foundation and an engaged majority owner of the pharmaceutical company LEO Pharma. The Foundation’s main objective is to ensure the company’s long-term development and success in becoming a global leader in medical dermatology and delivering outstanding results.
Beyond company ownership, the LEO Foundation is the largest private funder of independent skin research at leading universities and hospitals worldwide and is committed to supporting outstanding research to pioneer new discoveries and transform the understanding of the skin and its diseases. Over the years, the LEO Foundation has awarded a total of around DKK 1.5 billion in philanthropic grants.