About Us

Expert and Scalable CRO Services for Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Antibody Development

Meet 2bind

Leadership Team

At 2bind, leadership is more than just management – it is the driving force behind our success. Comprising dedicated and experienced scientists and managers, our leadership team collaborates closely with our highly engaged employees and the advisory board to guide our strategy and foster a culture of innovation.

The diverse expertise and shared vision of our leadership team are essential to realizing our mission: to make biophysics accessible to all, accelerating drug discovery and biologics development, and by that contribute to a healthier and smarter world.

Team_Max

Dr. Maximilian Plach

Co-Chief Executive Officer

Team_Cosimo

Dr. Cosimo Kropp

Co-Chief Executive Officer
Meet 2bind

Advisory Board

Our advisors are experts in biophysics, drug discovery and development, screening, biochemistry, and antibody/biologics/vaccine development. They bring their wealth of experience from their many years in academia and the biotech industry to the team.

The advisory board consults the Leadership Team for continuous improvement and expansion of our service, assay, and technology portfolio.

Team_Gernot

Prof. Dr. Gernot Längst

Advisor

Team_Ralf

Prof. Dr. Ralf Wagner

Advisor

Our Vision

Our vision is to accelerate the development of medicines and tools that improve lives and create a happier, healthier, and smarter world.

Our Mission

At 2bind, we are pioneers, driving pre-clinical drug discovery and antibody and biologics development. More than a service provider, we are an extension of your team. Our expertise fuels our commitment to scientific excellence and transparency. Think of us as your personal lab, providing reliable support at every step. We prioritize your success and understand your unique needs. Our transparency and guidance empower you to make informed decisions.

We value our employees and foster a motivating company culture, believing passionate teams drive groundbreaking discoveries. 2bind builds lasting relationships and fosters innovation. Together, we illuminate the path to scientific discovery, guided by integrity and transparency. We’re your trusted CRO partner in the pursuit of excellence.

Creating the Environment We Want to Work In

Our values are not just words on paper – they shape the environment we live in. We are committed to upholding the highest ethical standards, promoting diversity and inclusivity, and ensuring sustainability in every aspect of our operations. Our policies on quality (ISO 9001 certified quality management system), anti-bribery, anti-discrimination, and sustainability reflect our dedication to integrity, fairness, and responsibility.

By embracing these values, we create a workplace where innovation thrives, collaboration flourishes, and every team member can contribute to our shared success as a committed CRO.

Meet 2bind

Our Journey

Fueled by a passion for scientific discovery, 2bind’s founder Prof. Dr. Gernot Längst applied innovative biophysical methods in his lab to achieve scientific breakthroughs that were previously unattainable. This success inspired him to establish 2bind.

2017 marked a significant milestone on the path to today’s 2bind. Catalyzed by an adjustment of the shareholder structure, the integration of business expertise in the person of Prof. Dr. Wagner (founder, CEO, and CSO of GeneArt AG), wise management hiring and a consistent strategic focus on the needs of the researching pharma- and biotech-industry, 2bind developed into what it is today:

A dedicated team of experts in contract research, driven by the same spirit of innovation. We partner with pharma and biotech clients worldwide, providing customized solutions that drive their scientific advancements throughout the discovery and development phase, mitigate risks and thus accelerate preclinical and clinical development and help them reach their commercial goals.

Let’s explore the possibilities together.

Dr. Maximilian Plach

Co-Chief Executive Officer

Maximilian is responsible for driving 2bind’s operational excellence and technological advancement, while jointly shaping the company’s overall strategy and future growth alongside Dr. Cosimo Kropp. Maximilian is also a member of the Board and is working closely with the Scientific Advisory Board.

His motivation is to bring cutting-edge biophysical technologies as a service to 2bind’s clients to accelerate drug discovery and antibody development. He is deeply committed to fostering a collaborative and innovative environment where scientific excellence thrives. Since joining 2bind in 2017, Maximilian has played a pivotal role in establishing the company as a leading CRO in the field of biophysical analysis. His contributions have been instrumental in shaping 2bind’s service portfolio, expanding its technological capabilities, and strengthening its client relationships.

Maximilian holds a summa-cum-laude PhD in Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry as well as a Master of Business Administration. His research focused on the principles of protein and small molecule interactions as well as focused investment decisions for growing small businesses.

Dr. Cosimo Kropp

Co-Chief Executive Officer

At 2bind, Cosimo oversees strategy, commercialization, and overall business development. Working closely with the team, he helps clients navigate complex drug discovery and antibody development projects. Through strategic positioning and deep scientific insight together with Dr. Maximilian Plach, Cosimo ensures that 2bind delivers innovative and impactful solutions tailored to the unique needs of its customers.

Cosimo is driven by fostering a collaborative and dynamic working environment, empowering the team to contribute to the company’s future success, by helping clients achieve their goals in drug discovery and antibody development.

With a background in biology, Cosimo holds a PhD in biochemistry and biophysics, along with an MBA specializing in normative and strategic management. This combination of business acumen and scientific expertise shapes Cosimo’s leadership approach at 2bind, helping to guide the company’s growth and innovation.

Prof. Dr. Gernot Längst

2bind Advisory Board

Gernot is the founder of 2bind and highly accomplished researcher in the field of epigenetics. He holds a professorship in Biochemistry at the University of Regensburg. His research focuses on the cell nucleus, particularly the regulatory role of genome organisation, its influence on gene networks, and the maintenance and inheritance of activity states without alteration of the DNA sequence. This inheritance type— epigenetics — is a central process in organismal development and formation of distinct cell types.

Gernot’s lab employs a multidisciplinary approach, combining biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, and bioinformatics to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying epigenetic processes. His team was among the first to demonstrate that DNA packaging proteins actively move along DNA. This discovery shed light on the mechanisms behind this remodelling process and showed that the specific positioning of these packaging units on DNA directly affects gene expression.

Currently, his research explores the influence of RNA and non-canonical DNA structures on DNA packaging and epigenetic control. He is also actively involved in screening for new drugs that could potentially target epigenetic mechanisms to treat aging and malaria.

Prof. Dr. Ralf Wagner

2bind Advisory Board

Ralf Wagner is Univ.-Prof. for Medical Microbiology (Virology) at the University of Regensburg. Ralf is passionate about developing vaccines from bench to clinic – initially with a strong focus on HIV, meanwhile comprising a broader spectrum of viruses – some, which are highly pathogenic (Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, CCHF), harbor pandemic potential (Influenza- and Coronaviruses) and are linked to malignancies (HPV) or severe clinical manifestations (CMV). Several of his vaccine candidates made it from the bench to the clinic (phase 2b). He pioneered recombinant virus-like particles for vaccine delivery and established the use of RNA- and codon-optimized „synthetic genes“ as golden standard in vaccine design.

He chaired, co-chaired and served as board member of several national and international vaccine clusters (e.g. EU, Gatesfoundation, NIH, BMBF) and acts as reviewer for various funding organisations (DFG, BMBF, EU, Foundations). Ralf has authored and co-authored more than 250 research articles, book chapters and patent applications.

He is acting as start-up ambassador for the local University, consulting life-science venture funds and co-founder of several biotech companies. Fascinated by the broad applicability of synthesic genes, he established Regensburg-based Geneart AG, a previously public biotech company. During his leadership as CEO and CSO (2000-2012), Geneart grew to more than 230 employees and 2 subsidiaries in Canada and the US. He was awarded with the Germany’s Founders Award (Top 3), the “Step Award”, and the “European Biotech Award”. After the acquisition by Life Technologies Inc., he successfully managed the integration process and served as Vice President of Synthetic Biology within the US Corporation (2010-2012).