Koenraad Wiedhaup founded Leyden Labs at the dawn of the COVID pandemic, in the early stages of the first lockdown. He and his cofounders discussed their ideas for developing a product that could protect against existing viruses and prevent a next pandemic. Now, they are developing their ideas into a prophylactic nasal spray, preventing respiratory infections ‘at the gate’. A biomedical version of a face mask. The pandemic and societal shift toward prevention provided the momentum for Leyden Labs to turn their ideas into a business.

“A biomedical version of a face mask” 

“I recognize the shifting mindset Oscar highlights since 2012. The COVID pandemic made the relevance of finding preventive measures even more clear,” Koenraad explains. “But it’s not easy. You need a very strong business case for medical prevention to attract investors. The market however is huge as infectious diseases don’t stop at the border. It’s our drive to make products that are accessible to everybody. The pricing for preventive products reflects this, and I’m happy about that. Because it means we can try to realize our ambitions of reaching societies worldwide, and our impact becomes worldwide as well. It’s great that our investors share these values.”

“The Dutch are not fully conscious of their potential”

Koenraad adds: “Indeed, t’s amazing what we have achieved with modern medicine by working together. Vaccination has been one of the biggest contributors to our health and increased lifespan. To continue making impact with medical prevention, I believe accessibility is crucial. And we should support this in society – in the end, preventive measures like a flu shot save us money. We should maximize access and continue investing in these kinds of products. I firmly believe that our Dutch system is uniquely positioned to unlock the potential of prevention.”