Who founded Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and when was it established?
Leonard S. Schleifer founded Regeneron in New York in 1988; George D. Yancopoulos joined in 1989 as its founding scientist.
What was Dr. Leonard Schleifer's original founding vision in 1988?
Working as a young assistant professor of neurology at Cornell University Medical College, Dr. Leonard Schleifer recognized that emerging recombinant DNA technology could be used to discover neurotrophic growth factors that regenerate damaged nerves, naming the company 'Regeneron' (combining 'regenerating neurons').
How did Leonard Schleifer recruit George Yancopoulos in 1989?
In 1989 Schleifer recruited Yancopoulos, then a Columbia University scientist trained in molecular immunology, to lead Regeneron's research.
When did Regeneron complete its initial public offering (IPO)?
Regeneron completed its initial public offering on Nasdaq in 1991.
How did the founders invent the major VelociSuite platform in the early 2000s?
Frustrated by the slow, inefficient methods of creating antibody therapies, Yancopoulos and his team invented VelociGene and VelocImmune, genetically engineering mice with complete human antibody gene repertoires, enabling Regeneron to generate high-affinity fully human therapeutic antibodies against any human disease target within weeks.
What was Regeneron's first FDA-approved medicine developed by the founders?
In February 2008, Regeneron received its very first FDA approval for ARCALYST (rilonacept), a recombinant fusion protein 'Trap' molecule invented by Yancopoulos for the treatment of rare cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS).
Where are Regeneron's main sites?
Regeneron is headquartered in Tarrytown, New York, manufactures in Rensselaer, New York and Limerick, Ireland, and had 15,410 employees worldwide at the end of 2025.
What founding ethos from 1988 continues to define Regeneron today?
The founding ethos that rigorous, fearless biological science, led by passionate physician-scientists rather than financial MBAs, is the only sustainable path to creating life-saving medicines remains the unshakeable foundation of Regeneron.
Who founded Regeneron Pharmaceuticals?
Regeneron was founded in 1988 by Dr. Leonard S. Schleifer, M.D., Ph.D., with Dr. George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., joining in 1989 as scientific co-founder.
What inspired Dr. Leonard Schleifer to start Regeneron?
As a practicing neurologist in Manhattan, Dr. Schleifer was frustrated by the lack of effective medical treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and Alzheimer’s; he founded Regeneron to "regenerate neurons" using emerging molecular biology techniques.
How did Dr. Schleifer recruit George Yancopoulos in 1989?
Dr. Schleifer approached 28-year-old George Yancopoulos—then a rising star researcher at Columbia University under legendary molecular biologist Fred Alt—convincing him to leave academia by promising complete scientific freedom and resources to build an elite biology lab.
Which prominent Nobel laureates joined Regeneron’s founding scientific advisory board?
Dr. Schleifer recruited iconic Nobel laureates in medicine to the founding board, including Dr. Michael S. Brown, Dr. Joseph L. Goldstein (discoverers of the LDL cholesterol receptor), and Dr. Alfred Gilman.
What early clinical failures tested the founders’ resolve in the 1990s?
In its first decade, Regeneron suffered high-profile clinical trial failures in neurotrophic factors for ALS (ciliary neurotrophic factor / CNTF); rather than quitting, the founders pivoted their powerful molecular biology tools toward angiogenesis, eye disease, and immunology.
How did the founders invent VelocImmune in the early 2000s?
Dr. Yancopoulos and his scientific team spent nearly a decade engineering mice whose antibody-producing genes were replaced with human genetic machinery, creating VelocImmune and turning Regeneron into an unstoppable antibody generation machine.
What honors have the founders received for their biomedical achievements?
Both Schleifer and Yancopoulos have received the prestigious Biotechnology Heritage Award, are members of the National Academy of Sciences, and were named Ernst & Young National Entrepreneurs of the Year.
What enduring founding principle guides Regeneron today?
The founders’ core principle—that genuine medical breakthroughs come from following foundational biological truth rather than chasing Wall Street financial engineering—remains the bedrock of Regeneron.