As a science-based organization, our research and development (R&D) activities are the most important contributions to our commitment to restoring brain health. We focus our R&D efforts on both internal and external innovation aimed at developing new and ground-breaking medicines for the treatment of brain diseases.

Lundbeck’s R&D is aimed at enabling the discovery and development of new pharmaceuticals targeting the underlying mechanisms of brain diseases. This requires comprehensive research in the biology and the mechanisms of the diseases, as well as improved understanding of research targets and clinical outcomes. Over the years, we have built a broad and robust platform within psychiatry and neuro-degeneration, which allows us to use small molecules, antibodies and vaccines in the development of new medicines that can treat symptoms more effectively and, potentially, alter the course of the diseases. 

Research at Lundbeck is based on the efforts of our multi-disciplinary, empowered project teams, our in-house expertise in the brain disease area and new technologies. We work in state-of-the-art laboratories. In each project team, we integrate our advanced knowledge in R&D disciplines with expertise in clinical practices and therapeutic needs.

We work together as individuals towards common goals. We seek to constantly develop and improve our scientific and personal skills and qualifications. This allows us to promote career opportunities for the individual, as well as maintain and develop our competencies as an organization. Publication of our scientific results is a natural part of our participation as active members in the international scientific community.

Lundbeck’s long experience and continuous work within diseases of the brain have provided us with a strong global network in preclinical and clinical neuroscience research. It is essential for us to maintain our strong internal R&D capabilities and to build external alliances to supplement our internal capabilities, taking advantage of the increased opportunities provided by innovative technologies.

In addition, Lundbeck joined the personal genetics company 23andMe, Inc. and the think tank The Milken Institute in a large new study to increase the understanding of the underlying causes of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and bipolar depression. This study further explores how these diseases and brain functions such as attention and decision-making are related to genetics. 

Lundbeck also participates in the RADAR-CNS collaboration, designed to develop new ways of monitoring conditions such as MDD, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis using wearable devices and smartphone technology. Such widely available devices can remotely reveal a patient’s current condition at previously unachievable levels of detail.

Our R&D strategy provides a future platform from which Lundbeck can discover and develop drugs with clearly documented effects on biologically defined patient groups. This is based on our digital approach to optimize the treatment of brain diseases. It is expected that society’s demand for these new types of treatments will increase. 

Recently, however, a large-scale analysis of postmortem brains is revealing distinctive molecular traces in people with psychiatric disorders.¹ An international team of researchers has reported that five major psychiatric disorders have patterns of gene activity that often overlap but also vary in disease-specific - and sometimes counterintuitive - ways. The findings might someday lead to diagnostic tests and novel therapies.