Vision

What is a consumer biotech?

Biotech companies develop medicines that can become part of someone's life for years. Yet most people know little about the companies behind them.

That's because of the old business model of selling to insurance companies and hospitals. We're building LionBio to have a relationship with the patient from the start, where they can work with their physicians to decide what types of therapies can enhance their health.

Design starts early.

We're thinking about how a medicine could fit into everyday life while we develop the formulation. How a device opens, feels in the hand, and explains its use all deserve attention.

Early device concepts. The final design will depend on the formulation and its delivery requirements.

Concept render of a hand placing a slim nasal device into a bag
Concept render, not a patient photo
Concept render of the slim handheld nasal device, closed
Slim handheld · concept
Concept render of the rounded compact nasal device, lid open, nozzle visible
Rounded compact · concept
Concept render of a terracotta carrying case, closed
Carrying case · concept
Concept render of the rounded compact in a pocket
In a pocket · concept render, not a patient photo

Nanoparticles for neuropeptides

Neuropeptides are chemical signals used by nerve cells. They help regulate appetite, sleep, and stress. We're building a delivery platform for peptide medicines that act on this biology.

Getting a peptide medicine into the brain is difficult. We're developing biodegradable nanoparticles for nasal delivery, designed to carry the drug and release it over time. Our goal is to improve brain delivery while limiting exposure elsewhere.

Starting with metabolic health

Semaglutide is our first program. It activates the GLP-1 receptor, part of a signaling system involved in appetite and metabolism. GLP-1 medicines already treat obesity and type 2 diabetes; we're studying how a new formulation and route change drug distribution.

Beyond semaglutide, we're exploring other GLP-1s and neuropeptides for metabolic and neurological conditions. Each molecule will need its own formulation and studies.

Our lead semaglutide formulation is in preclinical development.

Robin Guo
Founder note

Why this is personal

My dad has diabetes. I'm pre-diabetic. Alzheimer's has affected two of my grandparents. I grew up around Columbia, where my dad taught, and years later he introduced me to Kam Leong. We talked about turning his lab's nanoparticle research into a company. That became LionBio.

Robin Guo, co-founder

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For research, partnerships or investor inquiries: hello@lion.bio

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