Leyden Labs Secures €20M from EIB to Advance Nasal Spray Against Influenza

• Leyden Laboratories B.V. has signed a €20 million venture debt deal with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to advance its intranasal antibody therapy for respiratory viruses.

• The funding is backed by the EU’s HERA Invest initiative under the InvestEU programme to strengthen pandemic preparedness in Europe.

Dutch clinical-stage biotechnology company Leyden Laboratories B.V. has secured €20 million in financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to accelerate the development of its pan-influenza nasal spray and other antibody-based respiratory therapies. The funding aims to bolster Europe’s readiness against seasonal and pandemic viral infections.

The financing is provided under the European Commission’s InvestEU programme and supported through HERA Invest, a €110 million initiative to enhance biodefence and antimicrobial resilience in the EU. Leyden Labs’ lead product, known as PanFlu, is currently in clinical development and targets broad protection against influenza, including avian flu (H5).

EIB Vice President Robert de Groot commented: “With the support of the European Commission, the EIB backs highly innovative EU companies like Leyden Labs with venture debt, enabling them to grow and thrive in Europe.”

Koenraad Wiedhaup, co-founder and CEO of Leyden Labs, said the company was pleased to receive support from HERA and the European Investment Bank. “Their backing validates our approach and will help us speed up the development of broad-spectrum protection against existing and emerging viral threats. We appreciate that both HERA and the EIB recognise the critical importance and urgency of investing in pandemic preparedness, especially with the rising risk posed by avian influenza,” he said.

The Amsterdam-based company develops nasal sprays that deliver broadly protective antibodies directly to the respiratory tract, offering immediate protection before viruses enter systemic circulation. This non-vaccine approach may provide benefits for immunocompromised individuals and maintain efficacy even as viruses mutate.

The €20 million loan will support further development of Leyden Labs’ platform to provide a scalable response to current and future viral threats across Europe. While not a CDMO or involved in contract manufacturing, the company’s pipeline aims to support public health by addressing critical gaps in viral prophylaxis.