Our story
We are focused in developing and commercializing our innovative devices to encapsulate active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) including genetic payloads in nanoparticles for drug delivery.
Our expertise lies in nanoparticle-based manufacturing and our devices support process development and GMP production. We work with worldclass industrial partners towards a common goal that benefits us all.
We’re proud to have built a dedicated and effective team, characterized by a blend of exceptional talent and a passion for shared goals. LEON is backed by a strong group of investors and as strategic partners that share our vision.
Our devices are positioned to bring more products to market, faster and with increased value.
Our vision
Enable pharma, biotech and CDMO companies to optimize nanomedicine manufacturing and take full advantage of the significant progress in advanced therapies
Our mission
Transform our innovative reactor for nano encapsulation into fast, easy, efficient and highly-flexible GMP manufacturing solutions, making them commercially viable
Our management team
Christian Nafe
Chief Financial Officer & Managing Director (Consultant to the company)
Christian brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the management of successful businesses. Having held board-level positions, including CEO and CFO, at global companies for more than 25 years, Christian is equipped with a wealth of senior experience in business management and finance. With a focus on life science industry, he has successfully led the delivery of several M&As, financing rounds as well as license contracts and supply agreements.
Join us
We believe in innovation, collaboration and partnership. The promotion and continuous development of our employees plays a decisive role. In order to meet our high standards, we are constantly looking for highly qualified new colleagues. Contact us if you share our vision.
Our supervisory board
DR. HUBERT BIRNER
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Hubert is responsible for overall investment strategy and global fund operations at TVM Capital Life Science, and holds a number of chairmanships in leading life sciences companies.
Prior to his current role, he was Head of Business Development Europe and Director of Marketing for Germany at Zeneca Agrochemicals, having joined from McKinsey & Company’s European healthcare and pharmaceutical practice. As a management consultant, he gained extensive experience in R&D management, marketing and sales, and joint venture structuring and business development. Hubert holds a doctoral degree in biochemistry and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.
DR. FRANK MATHIAS
BOARD MEMBER
Frank has held leadership positions across the pharmaceutical and biotech industry for more than 25 years.
He is currently Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Biomedica, prevoulsy he held a role of a CEO of Rentschler Biopharma SE and he is also Chairman of vfa bio, which represents the biotech interests within the German Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies.
From 2009 until 2016, Frank was Chief Executive Officer of Medigene AG, having joined the company in 2008 as Chief Operating Officer.
Prior to that he worked for Amgen GmbH, Servier Deutschland and Hoechst AG.
He is a graduate of Paris VI University, where he studied immunology.
DR. GERHARD RIES
BOARD MEMBER
Gerhard has more than 20 years of global life sciences and venture capital experience; both as entrepreneur and as an investor. He has a strong scientific and operational background and held various positions at McKinsey, Novartis, Ciba Geigy and Boehringer Mannheim.
Gerhard is Co-founder and was Managing Partner of BioMedPartners where he supervised more than 50 investments and served on the board of more than 20 biotech companies. Before building BioMedPartners, he was Co-founder and Managing Director of InterPharmaLink, a specialized portfolio management consulting company for the pharmaceutical industry.
Gerhard holds an M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Basel (Switzerland) and a M.Sc. in Biotechnology from the Fachhochschule Weihenstephan (Munich, Germany).
DR. ROBERT BECKER
BOARD MEMBER
Robert has more than 35 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Earlier in his career, he held various leadership positions at Boehringer-Ingelheim, Eli Lilly and Company, Biogen Idec and Aptalis.
In 2014 he founded Impala Pharma Consulting supporting academic and NGO institutions, Start-up companies, Pharma and Biotech companies from idea generation to launch. He has a strong background in pharmaceutical product development, established a broad vendor network for API, DP and analytical methods development and created strategic partnerships with major collaboration partners for small molecule and protein formulation development. Robert is an expert in process chemistry, design and development of formulations across all pharmaceutical dosage forms and drug delivery systems. Robert is a Chemist by training with focus on Physical Chemistry and holds his Ph.D. from the Technical University Munich, Germany.
DR. FRANK MÜHLENBECK
VICE CHAIRMAN
With his 20+ years of investment experience, Frank is a Senior Investment Manager at LBBW Venture Capital GmbH (LBBW VC) where he manages life science investments. Apart from Leon, he is representing LBBW VC on the Board of Actitrexx GmbH and Acousia GmbH. Prior to LBBW Frank was Manging Director at EMBL-Ventures, a Life Science VC Fund in Heidelberg associated with a research institution. Prior to that he was founding partner of a multi-asset family office in Switzerland.
Investor relations
We are backed by a strong group of investors, having secured significant additional commitment in our recent Series C funding round. Our major shareholders include:
TVM Life Science Innovation I.L.P.
TVM Life Science Innovation I.L.P. has been delivering international investment for over 30 years, and provides venture capital to the international pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and medical technology industries.
Evotec SE
Formalising its Discovery and Development Services in 2002, Evotec SE creates partnerships to further research in multiple health fields, including cancer and infectious diseases. LEON and Evotec’s strategic partnership will maximise the effectiveness of clinical and commercial nano-medicine development.
Eckenstein-Geigy-Stiftung
Eckenstein-Geigy-Stiftung is a Swiss family investment office. Established in 2007 on philanthropic principles, it is focused on building a good future for everybody, including improved medical care for greater quality of life globally.
CD-Venture GmbH
CD-Venture is a German venture capital firm with two decades of experience specialising in investments in the life sciences sector.
Albany Private Equity Holdings Pty Ltd
Part of The Pacific Group of Companies, Albany Private Equity Holdings is an Australian private equity investment firm with a focus on transformational healthcare and investments in medical technology, biotech, and pharmaceuticals.
BayBG
BayBG is a Munich-based equity investor with more than 45 years’ experience, offering venture capital investment for technology-driven companies.