Improving health
The health challenge of skin diseases is immense, costly, and urgent. Skin diseases are the third most prevalent cause of illness and one of the top ten causes of disability worldwide according to WHO.* Skin diseases have a complex impact on people’s lives and constitute significant medical, social, and economic challenges. But globally, the burden of skin diseases is often overlooked.
There are more than 1,500 known skin diseases, but many of the mechanisms involved in these diseases still need to be identified, and we lack knowledge as to why many of the skin diseases occur, and on how to effectively treat many of the thousands of skin diseases.
Our purpose of paving the way for curing skin diseases is a testament to our dedication to improving health for the hundreds of millions of people living with skin diseases globally. As an enterprise foundation, we have the privilege of being able to combine our philanthropic and commercial activities to drive change.
* WHO. Skin Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2021.
What we do
As one of the world’s largest private funders of research into the skin and its diseases, we aim to catalyze outstanding research that pioneers discoveries and transforms our understanding of the skin and its diseases to benefit people living with skin diseases.
- We catalyze outstanding skin research and education through philanthropic grants totaling more than DKK 1.5 billion over the past decade.
- In 2024 alone, we provided DKK 12 million in support to Education and Awareness initiatives.
- We support around 350 active skin researchers at leading research institutions globally.
Through our engaged majority ownership of LEO Pharma, we are proud to play a role in meeting the medical needs of millions of patients who rely on LEO Pharma to make innovative treatments available.
- We deliver health care services and treatments to more than 96 million patients worldwide through majority ownership of LEO Pharma.
- We assess, challenge and support LEO Pharma in becoming a global leader in medical dermatology, delivering outstanding results.
Our commitments toward 2025
Increase awareness of the skin and contribute to facilitating a strong skin research ecosystem.
Reach an annual philanthropic grant level of DKK 250 million to support outstanding skin research, and education and awareness initiatives.
Expand philanthropic activities to strengthen basic, translational, and clinical skin research, as well as to explore the potential of systems medicine in dermatology.
Assess, challenge, and support LEO Pharma in becoming a global player in medical dermatology, bringing at least one new innovative treatment available to people living with skin diseases.
Encourage LEO Pharma to establish health impact goals to provide clarity on how the company is enabling health.
We support the Sustainable Development Goals
We support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and consider them a relevant framework for mobilizing global action around common goals. Our greatest opportunity to contribute to the SDGs is within SDG3 – Good Health & Well-being, based on our heritage and our decades-long history of treating skin diseases. While skin diseases are not explicitly reflected in SDG3, they have an indirect bearing on several of the targets and indicators related to the critical need to address the growing burden of communicable diseases and poor mental health and well-being.