Today we welcome Koenraad Wiedhaup, Co-Founder and CEO of Leyden Labs, and Clarissa Koch, the company's Chief Scientific Officer.

Leyden Labs is pioneering a revolutionary non-vaccine approach to combat respiratory viruses like influenza and coronaviruses. Recently, they published groundbreaking data in Science Translational Medicine, demonstrating that their intranasal antibody spray is safe, well-tolerated, and delivers sustained protection right at the virus's entry point: the nose. This innovation addresses the shortcomings of traditional flu vaccines, which average just 13% effectiveness against infection and provide even less for vulnerable groups like the elderly and immunocompromised.

We'll dive into the science, the company's journey since its 2020 founding, and their recent €50 million European funding boost amid U.S. biotech challenges.

01:33: Meet Koenraad Wiedhaup

03:13: Meet Clarissa Koch

04:16: Leyden Labs' origin story

06:21: Mucosal protection platform explained

08:57: Complementing existing vaccines

11:47: Science of mucosal immunity

13:24: PanFlu lead candidate overview

16:42: Key findings from recent publication

22:02: Funding and future preparedness

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To dive deeper into the topic: 

• Seven biotech companies to know in the Netherlands
• The Netherlands’ biotech scene: The country sets its sights on becoming a global leader by 2040 
• Influenza solution deals pile up as pandemic preparedness increases