Over a century of dedication

On 14 August 1915, Hans Lundbeck founded a company in Copenhagen, Denmark. The first employee that he hired, a young lady who was a multiannual Danish champion in typewriting, later became his wife and founder of the Lundbeck Foundation. 

During its first years, the business operated as a trading company, but from the mid-1920s, pharmaceuticals of all sorts were added to its range of products.

In the 1930s, Lundbeck began its own production and packaging of pharmaceuticals in Denmark. A growing production volume created a need for more space and additional employees. Lundbeck embarked on its journey of growth.

In 1937, Lundbeck hired its first scientific employee, the pharmacist, Oluf Hübner, who brought with him additional pharmaceutical products and initiated Lundbeck’s early dialogue with physicians.

During the years following World War II, Lundbeck intensified its research, laying the foundation for the development of drugs which would later make Lundbeck known worldwide. 

In 1959, Lundbeck launched one of the first antipsychotics in the world for the treatment of schizophrenia, which through the 1960s and 1970s became Lundbeck’s most sold product – a new era in antipsychotics for Lundbeck had begun. 

The success with the treatment for schizophrenia increased the need for additional production capacity. In 1961, Lundbeck purchased a former dairy in Lumsås, Denmark, and soon began production of active compounds. 

Between 1960 and 1970, the number of employees doubled to 680, of whom approximately 100 were employed abroad. Lundbeck was becoming an international company.

After 60 years of growth and development based on a wide assortment of products, Lundbeck decided at the end of the 1970s to phase out its existing agencies and cosmetics departments and focus on the development and commercialisation of pharmaceuticals.

At the close of the 1980s, Lundbeck further intensified its business strategy focus. In future, Lundbeck would dedicate its efforts to the research, development, manufacturing and commercialisation of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of brain diseases. 

Lundbeck expanded rapidly in the 1990s, due to the success with its first treatment for depression and anxiety.

By Lundbeck’s 75th anniversary in 1990, revenue amounted to DKK 0.5 billion and 8 affiliates had been established. There were 739 employees, 189 of whom were employed overseas. 

To ensure its continued success, Lundbeck intensified its research activities and began in-licensing drugs from other pharmaceutical companies. This enabled Lundbeck to launch new drugs to take over when the patents on other drugs expired. 

In 2008, Lundbeck embarked on a new strategic growth journey, moving from a mainly European company to a global company, expanding into new, international markets. 

In 2018, Deborah Dunsire was named President and CEO  of Lundbeck. Trained as a medical doctor, Dunsire is an experienced CEO who brings more than 30 years of clinical, commercial, and international management experience from the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. In 2019, Dunsire launched Lundbeck’s new 2020 Strategy “Expand and Invest to Grow”, which
focuses on restoring brain health to drive Lundbeck’s growth. 

In 2019 Lundbeck acquired Abide Therapeutics, located in California, adding a discovery platform for psychiatric and neurological diseases. After closing, Abide Therapeutics was renamed to La Jolla Research Centre and serves as Lundbeck’s drug discovery hub in the US.