As healthcare systems come under increasing pressure to deliver better outcomes with finite resources, dermatology is evolving beyond medicines alone. Kim Abbenhaus discusses how LEO Pharma is combining scientific innovation with new models of care, strategic partnerships, and an empowered organisational culture to strengthen patient care in Germany, while reflecting on the country’s role as one of Europe’s leading launch markets for innovation.
What have been the key priorities since you took over as Vice President and General Manager of LEO Pharma Germany?
Joining LEO Pharma just as Germany became the first market worldwide to launch Anzupgo® (delgocitinib cream) was a real privilege. I was inspired by the transformation LEO Pharma has been undergoing globally, which was one of the main reasons I decided to join, and arriving at such a pivotal moment made it both exciting and challenging. When you step into a business as a new general manager, there is always a risk of disrupting the momentum, so my priority from the outset was to build on what was already in place, support the team, bring a fresh perspective, and help create the next phase of growth.
I was fortunate to join a highly committed and enthusiastic organisation. One of LEO Pharma’s greatest strengths is that we are large enough to invest in innovation, while remaining focused enough to stay close to patients and physicians. The launch of Anzupgo®, following Kyntheum® (brodalumab) and Adtralza® (tralokinumab), reinforced that there is a clear future ahead for the organisation. It has been a busy but very positive journey, and my focus has been on sustaining that momentum while continuing to identify new opportunities to accelerate our growth.
How has LEO Pharma’s transformation influenced the role of the German affiliate, and what makes Germany such an important market for the company?
Over the past few years, we have evolved from being a trusted partner in dermatology to becoming a partner for innovation, new care models, and new patient pathways. Our ambition is not simply to bring medicines to market, but to help improve the way patients are cared for by addressing some of the structural challenges facing dermatology in Germany. The broader transformation taking place across LEO Pharma has translated naturally into the German affiliate, giving us a strong platform to build closer partnerships with healthcare professionals, scientific societies, and other stakeholders. Ultimately, I believe our role as an industry is not just to provide medicines, but to deliver solutions that improve patient care.
Germany plays an essential role in that ambition. Beyond being one of our largest markets, it is often among the first to launch new medicines, which brings a different level of responsibility. As an early-launch market, we generate valuable insights into product positioning, patient access, and lifecycle management that help inform launches across the organisation. Our teams regularly share those learnings with colleagues in other countries, while German physicians contribute through advisory boards and international congresses, helping to build confidence in new therapies and support their adoption in other markets.
What are the defining features of the patient journey for dermatology in Germany, and where do you see the main opportunities for improvement?
Germany has a relatively flexible patient pathway. Around 90 percent of the population is covered by statutory health insurance (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV), while approximately 10 percent have private health insurance (Private Krankenversicherung, PKV). Patients can either see a general practitioner and be referred to a dermatologist or consult a specialist directly, which distinguishes Germany from several other European healthcare systems.
The challenge today is less about the pathway itself than about access. Dermatology appointments have become increasingly difficult to obtain, meaning more patients are turning to hospital outpatient clinics, which are coming under growing pressure. As demand for dermatology services continues to rise, ensuring timely access to specialist care will be just as important as bringing innovative treatments to patients.
How is LEO Pharma strengthening its dermatology portfolio to address unmet patient needs, and what will it take to accelerate the adoption of innovation?
One of LEO Pharma’s strengths is that we combine a well-established dermatology portfolio with a consistent commitment to innovation. Our heritage means physicians know and trust us, but what matters most is our ability to continue bringing meaningful advances to patients. Anzupgo® is a good example. Even before joining LEO Pharma, I remember looking at the clinical data and thinking it was a remarkably courageous programme. To demonstrate statistically significant superiority over a systemic treatment with a topical therapy is quite extraordinary and reflects LEO Pharma’s long-standing expertise in topical dermatology. Building on the success of Adtralza® (tralokinumab) in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, Anzupgo® expands our ability to address conditions that carry a significant, and often underestimated, burden on patients’ quality of life.
What has struck me most since joining is the response from physicians and patients alike. I have rarely seen a product receive such consistently positive feedback or deliver such rapid relief. Chronic hand eczema can easily be dismissed because it affects a relatively small part of the body, yet our hands are central to almost everything we do. When every movement is accompanied by pain or itching, patients can become increasingly isolated, both professionally and socially. Helping them regain normal daily function, and in many cases return to work, demonstrates just how meaningful innovation can be.
The challenge is ensuring that innovation reaches every patient who could benefit from it. While the reception from healthcare professionals has been overwhelmingly positive, only around half of German dermatologists routinely prescribe innovative therapies, which reflects a broader characteristic of the market rather than anything specific to Anzupgo®. Addressing that requires a long-term perspective. We encourage peer-to-peer scientific exchange because physicians are often most influenced by the experience of their colleagues, while also supporting greater collaboration between office-based specialists, hospitals, and experienced innovators. At the same time, we want to make it easier for patients to identify physicians who embrace innovation, because improving outcomes ultimately depends as much on connecting patients with the right expertise as it does on developing the right medicines.
What are the main strengths of Germany’s market access environment, and what will be needed to ensure it remains an attractive launch market for innovation?
Germany’s ability to provide patients with access to innovation almost immediately after EMA approval remains one of the strongest features of its healthcare system. Compared with many other European markets, that is a real advantage. The difficult work comes afterwards, but I would always rather see patients benefit from innovation first and deal with the complexity of reimbursement later. If the objective is to bring innovative medicines to patients as quickly as possible, Germany continues to offer one of the most attractive environments in Europe.
That does not mean the process is simple. The AMNOG process results in a negotiated list price with the statutory health insurers, it is highly technical and, at times, quite mechanistic, but it is also transparent and predictable. Companies understand the rules, know what evidence will be expected, and can build their development strategy accordingly. For Anzupgo®, one of the main challenges was demonstrating additional benefit for a first-in-class therapy, particularly around comparator selection and clinical evidence, but those are discussions you know you will have from the outset. The subsequent negotiations with the GKV-Spitzenverband were equally demanding, yet that is part of the German system. In the end, we felt the value Anzupgo® brings to patients was recognised, and we reached an outcome that was fair for both sides.
Looking ahead, my concern is less about the existing framework than about the increasing uncertainty created by recent and proposed reforms and the ongoing pressure for cost-containment in the system. Predictability is essential when companies decide where and how to launch innovation. Previous proposals such as exclusive contracts for patent-protected classes make long-term planning much more difficult. Although the dynamic mandatory rebate was finally replaced with a fixed, but significantly increased mandatory rebate, recent reforms have put significant burden on pharmaceutical companies. Given Germany’s role as an international reference market, such developments extend well beyond the country itself, influencing launch sequencing and investment decisions across Europe. That is where I see the greatest risk, both for future innovation and for Germany’s competitiveness.
At the same time, I remain optimistic. Whenever I speak with policymakers, I come away with the impression that there is a genuine commitment to keeping Germany an attractive market for innovation and to maintaining a constructive dialogue with industry. The challenge is to find solutions that preserve rapid patient access while providing companies with the certainty they need to invest. I take a similar view of the European Health Technology Assessment (EU HTA) framework. It is neither wholly positive nor wholly negative. From a European perspective, greater harmonisation has clear advantages if it reduces duplication and makes the overall process more efficient. The key will be ensuring that it complements well-established national systems such as AMNOG rather than creating an additional layer of complexity.
Beyond developing new medicines, how is LEO Pharma working with the wider healthcare ecosystem to help shape the future of dermatology care?
Delivering better patient care requires much more than bringing innovative medicines to market. We therefore look to partner with organisations across the German healthcare landscape that share the same ambition, including the German Dermatological Society (DDG), GA²LEN, the Global Allergy and Asthma Excellence Network, and the Working Group for Occupational and Environmental Dermatology (ABD). Each contributes in a different way, whether through research, medical education, patient education, support for young healthcare professionals, or addressing occupational skin diseases, which are particularly relevant in conditions such as chronic hand eczema. These partnerships allow us to develop educational initiatives and collaborative projects that strengthen patient care well beyond the product itself.
At the same time, we are thinking about how dermatology care needs to evolve. Germany is experiencing a significant shift within the profession, with more women entering dermatology and an increasing number choosing to work part time. Combined with an ageing population and rising demand for dermatological care, this means that simply maintaining the current model will not be enough. The question is how we can deliver care more intelligently. That is why we are working with physicians and hospitals to explore new approaches, from tele dermatology to AI-enabled process optimisation, with the aim of shaping what the dermatology practice of the future could look like.
Our role is to identify physicians who are prepared to think differently, support their ideas, and create opportunities for them to learn from one another. Most clinicians are understandably absorbed by the demands of everyday practice and have little time to develop new models of care, but when you bring together people with that vision, the exchange of ideas becomes incredibly valuable. These are long-term initiatives rather than short-term projects, but they reflect our commitment to helping shape the future of dermatology, not only through innovation in medicines, but through innovation in care itself.
Looking back across your career, what experiences have most influenced your leadership approach, and how are you applying those lessons at LEO Pharma Germany?
I have been fortunate to build my career across very different environments, from large pharmaceutical companies and biotech to a family-owned business, and each has shaped the leader I am today. The most important lesson I have learned is that people are always your greatest asset. My role is to help them perform at their best by creating an environment where they have both the freedom to take ownership and the support they need to succeed. When we hire someone, we do so because we believe they bring the right expertise, experience, and values, so I do not see leadership as telling people how to do their jobs, but as giving them the framework to realise their full potential.
That philosophy has been central to the culture we are building at LEO Pharma Germany. We have deliberately reduced layers of hierarchy and placed greater emphasis on ownership, accountability, and trust. I believe organisations become stronger when responsibility sits with the people closest to the business, supported by a small number of meaningful KPIs rather than excessive control. Our sales teams, for example, decide which physicians to engage with and how often, because I trust their judgement. That may seem unconventional in our industry, but my experience has been that when people are genuinely empowered, they become more engaged, more entrepreneurial, and ultimately more effective. I have always preferred working with entrepreneurs – people who build, create, and challenge assumptions rather than simply following orders.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women aspiring to leadership roles in healthcare?
I have been involved with Healthcare Frauen for many years because I firmly believe diverse leadership strengthens organisations and ultimately leads to better outcomes for patients. My advice to leaders is to embrace diversity rather than see it as something difficult to manage, because different perspectives almost always lead to better decisions.
For women pursuing leadership roles, my advice is to have confidence in what you already bring. Too often, women feel they need to meet every requirement before applying for a role, when in reality they are more than capable of growing into the position. At the same time, doing excellent work is only part of the equation. Your contribution also needs to be visible. Building the right network, communicating your achievements, and ensuring your work is recognised are all important steps in progressing your career and creating new opportunities.
What are your ambitions for LEO Pharma Germany over the coming years, and what message would you leave for the international healthcare community?
By 2028 or 2029, I would like LEO Pharma to be the partner of choice in dermatology. Whenever someone is looking for innovation, a new way of approaching patient care, or a partner willing to explore new ideas and take thoughtful risks, I want them to think of LEO Pharma because they know they will find the right people to work with. More broadly, my message to the international healthcare community is to look at Germany as a partner. Our healthcare system has a great deal to offer, but it also has much to learn, and the closer we work across countries, sharing both our strengths and our challenges, the stronger our healthcare systems will become and, ultimately, the better we will serve patients.
