Lionhealth

What Lionhealth does

Lionhealth S.r.l. Società Benefit is an Italian health tech startup founded in 2022 and headquartered in Milan, exclusively dedicated to clinical nutrition. The company develops disease-specific Foods for Special Medical Purposes (AFMS, also known as FSMPs/medical foods) that combine scientific formulation, plant extracts, and ESG principles, with primary focus on caloric-protein malnutrition associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Its product portfolio originated with the 2022 acquisition of Gemelli Health System (now Lionhealth Italia S.r.l. Società Benefit) from IRCCS Policlinico Gemelli Foundation, which contributed 13 pre-existing AFMS products. The flagship commercialized product is LH VIOLA, a powdered nutritional supplement providing approximately 1,000 kcal and 54g protein daily, supported by published clinical case reports showing improvements in weight, BMI, inflammatory markers (CRP), albumin, and quality of life in IBD patients.

Lionhealth operates a hybrid B2B/B2C go-to-market model. The clinical side is driven by a field sales team of Regional Nutrition Managers who manage Italian National Health Service (SSN) purchasing procedures, conduct medical-scientific information activities with gastroenterologists, dietitians, and hospital pharmacists, and engage regional KOLs. A Clinical Trial & Medical Affairs Manager generates health economics evidence in collaboration with University of Rome Tor Vergata CEIS-EEHTA, supporting SSN adoption with real-world data showing 66.6% higher hospitalization costs for malnourished IBD patients and potential €29.7M NHS savings from broader ONS adoption. Distribution to patients and non-HCP consumers occurs via a proprietary e-commerce platform (shop.lionhealth.tech) with subscription options, telephone ordering, and a dedicated HCP portal (areautenti.lionhealth.tech). Distribution is currently limited to Italy, with the Lionhealth trademark also registered in the United States as of 2025.

The company's commercial traction is supported by partnerships with Italian scientific societies (IG-IBD, SINPE, SINuC, SIFO, AGGEI), the Policlinico Gemelli academic network, and patient association AMICI Italia, as well as regulatory milestones including UNI EN ISO 22000:2018 food safety certification obtained in January 2026. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the company raised approximately $3.4M in 2025 through the Doorway platform with Vikivi as lead investor, has 1–10 employees, and is actively recruiting across commercial, clinical, and finance functions. The company has won competitive recognition including the Talentis GI Start-up Program 2025 (Confindustria) and WomenX Impact Italia.

Name

Lionhealth

Legal name

Lionhealth S.r.l. Società Benefit

Website

https://lionhealth.tech

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lionhealth is a Milan-based Italian health tech startup founded in 2022 that develops disease-specific Foods for Special Medical Purposes (AFMS), primarily targeting caloric-protein malnutrition in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and sells through field sales to the Italian NHS, e-commerce, and HCP partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical Nutrition Products

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Nutrition & Malabsorption (Celiac/Short Bowel) (HLAKAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

FSMS Documentation & Process Design (HACCP Plans, SOPs, Prerequisite Programs) (AFALANAB)

Keywords

• Medical foods
• Clinical nutrition
• AFMS supplements
• IBD nutrition
• Malnutrition therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. AFMS Product Sales: Lionhealth generates revenue through the sale of Food for Special Medical Purposes (AFMS/FSMPs), specifically disease-specific nutritional products for patients with chronic diseases such as IBD. Products are sold via e-commerce (shop.lionhealth.tech), telephone orders, and through National Health Service (SSN) purchasing procedures managed by Regional Nutrition Managers. The company offers subscription plans (monthly deliveries, minimum 3 units, max 1-year duration) with automatic credit card billing, as well as one-time purchases.
2. E-commerce and Direct-to-Consumer Sales: The company operates an e-commerce platform (shop.lionhealth.tech) selling AFMS products directly to consumers (patients) and healthcare professionals. Payment methods include credit card (Stripe), Satispay, bank transfer, and cash on delivery (with phone confirmation). Shipping is available only within Italy. The platform also supports subscription models with monthly deliveries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lionhealth develops and sells disease-specific Food for Special Medical Purposes (AFMS/FSMPs), with its flagship LH VIOLA product targeting caloric-protein malnutrition in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The company combines science, plant extracts, and ESG principles in formulations that are sold through an e-commerce platform, telephone orders, and via Italian National Health Service (SSN) procurement managed by Regional Nutrition Managers.

Product overview

Lionhealth is a health tech startup founded in 2022, exclusively dedicated to clinical nutrition, developing disease-specific Food for Special Medical Purposes (AFMS/FSMPs). The company acquired Gemelli Health System (GHS) from IRCCS Policlinico Gemelli Foundation in 2022, which had developed 13 AFMS products. The product portfolio centers on the LH VIOLA line—a disease-specific FSMP for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis)—complemented by the MUST Calculator tool for malnutrition risk screening. The company operates through an e-commerce platform (shop.lionhealth.tech) with subscription options and serves both healthcare professionals and patients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LH Viola: A disease-specific Food for Special Medical Purpose (FSMP) developed for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), specifically targeting malnutrition associated with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Products and services

• LH VIOLA Disease-specific Food for Special Medical Purposes (AFMS/FSMP) formulated for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Designed to help patients maintain or recover normal nutritional status and manage caloric-protein malnutrition, providing approximately 1000 kcal and 54g protein per 240g/day dose.
• Alimenti a Fini Medici Speciali (AFMS) Portfolio Broader portfolio of 13 disease-specific medical food products developed for patients with specific pathologies, helping to maintain or recover normal nutritional status and prevent or manage disease-related malnutrition. Marketed under Lionhealth Italia Società Benefit and sold via the shop.lionhealth.tech e-commerce platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Weight gain of +15.1% (10.3 kg) and BMI increase from 20.14 to 23.0 kg/m² (+14.2%) in UC patient after 8 months of LH VIOLA treatment
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IRCCS Policlinico Gemelli Foundation (Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico Gemelli)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022In 2022, Lionhealth acquired the Gemelli Health System (GHS) company from the IRCCS Policlinico Gemelli Foundation. GHS, now renamed Lionhealth Italia Società Benefit, had developed 13 AFMS products. This acquisition provided Lionhealth with its initial product portfolio, clinical credibility, and academic partnership with one of Italy's leading university hospitals. Co-authors from the Gemelli Polyclinic appear on multiple Lionhealth research publications.
• University of Rome Tor Vergata - CEIS-EEHTAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLionhealth collaborates with CEIS-EEHTA (Economic Evaluation and HTA) at University of Rome Tor Vergata on health economics research. Multiple joint publications at ISPOR, ESPEN, and SINPE conferences analyze the clinical and economic burden of malnutrition in IBD patients using real-world data from the Italian national SDO database (2015–2019). Authors include Chiara Bini, Matteo Scortichini, and Paolo Sciattella.
• AMICI Italia (National Association for Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAMICI Italia is co-promoter of the 'Perdi peso? Non perdere tempo!' (Losing weight? Don't waste time!) campaign on malnutrition awareness in IBD. The campaign is supported by SINPE and includes a free online malnutrition risk test, events at IBD centers across Italy, and educational materials. AMICI conducted a survey of 3,068 participants in February 2026. Lionhealth also offers an additional 5% discount for AMICI members.
• IG-IBD, SINPE, SINuC (Scientific Societies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLionhealth provided an unrestricted grant for the PONTE Project, an ECM educational initiative developed collaboratively by IG-IBD (Italian Group for Inflammatory Bowel Disease), SINPE (Italian Society of Nutrition and Metabolism), and SINuC (Italian Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism). The project aims to implement a standardized model of nutritional care in IBD hospitals, bringing together gastroenterologists, dietitians, nutritionists, and hospital pharmacists. Lionhealth also partners with IG-IBD on the annual LIONHEALTH Award for Best Scientific Publication on Nutrition in IBD.
• Emil Banca and EMI EtsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLionhealth partnered with Emil Banca (a cooperative bank in Emilia-Romagna) and EMI Ets to organize Nutritional Screening Days in Bologna (June 9, 2026) and Modena (June 15, 2026) for patients with chronic diseases. These events provide free nutritional screening and aim to promote awareness of disease-related malnutrition.
• SIFO – Italian Society of Hospital PharmacyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSIFO is a sponsor partner of the event 'The value of clinical oral nutrition in the management of patients with MICI - The central role of the Hospital Pharmacist' (Bologna, February 4, 2026). Lionhealth sponsored this event which focused on hospital pharmacists' role in nutritional management of IBD patients.
• AGGEI (Italian Association of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLionhealth was a sponsor of the CAMPUS AGGEI 2025 congress (Rome, November 7-8, 2025), one of the leading Italian events dedicated to clinical nutrition and metabolism. Speaker Daniela Pugliese (Catholic University of the Sacred Heart) presented on 'Generation Nutrition: a paradigm shift in IBD'.
• Indicon Benefit CompanyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndicon Benefit Company (startup consultant) collaborated with Lionhealth on the regional mapping study of market access to AFMS, co-authoring the publication with Lionhealth team members.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nestlé Health Science: Global leader in medical nutrition with established ONS, tube feeds, and disease-specific products (including for GI conditions). Comparable to Lionhealth in clinical nutrition focus but operates at vastly larger scale and offers broader portfolios rather than IBD-specific specialization.
• Abbott Nutrition: Major medical foods manufacturer with products such as Vital and Ensure for clinical and GI nutrition. Comparable to Lionhealth as a developer and seller of disease-relevant oral nutritional supplements, though Abbott is a diversified incumbent with global reach.
• Danone Nutricia: Specialty nutrition arm of Danone offering clinical and disease-specific nutrition products, including gastroenterology-focused ONS. Comparable to Lionhealth as a competitor in the European medical foods category with deeper prescriber relationships and broader product lines.
• Fresenius Kabi: Global clinical nutrition company with the Fresubin and Supportan ranges widely used in malnutrition management. Comparable to Lionhealth as a direct competitor in ONS for disease-related malnutrition, including GI indications.
• B. Braun: Diversified medical products company with a clinical nutrition portfolio (Nutricomp, Fresenius-style ONS). Comparable to Lionhealth in supplying disease-relevant oral and enteral nutrition to hospitals and healthcare providers.
• Baxter International: Global healthcare company with significant clinical nutrition presence in parenteral and enteral products. Comparable to Lionhealth in the broader clinical-nutrition category, though Baxter focuses on institutional/hospital channels.
• Mead Johnson Nutrition (Reckitt): Specialty nutrition brand (now under Reckitt) with clinical and pediatric nutrition products including formulations for GI and malabsorption conditions. Comparable to Lionhealth in the disease-specific nutrition category with significantly greater global scale.

Direct peers

• Hero Group: Specialty nutrition company with a focus on infant, clinical, and adult nutrition products. Comparable to Lionhealth as a developer of disease- and life-stage-specific nutritional formulations sold through healthcare channels.

Regional players

• DMG Italia (Driatec): Italian medical foods and clinical nutrition manufacturer with a presence in Italian hospitals and pharmacies. Comparable to Lionhealth as a domestic Italian supplier of medical nutrition products, though broader and more established.
• Piam Farmaceutici: Italian pharmaceutical company with medical foods and gastroenterology products. Comparable to Lionhealth as an Italy-based competitor combining pharma credibility with medical nutrition offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@lionhealth-tech
• Facebookfacebook.com/people/Lionhealth/61566512482918
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lionhealth-innovation
• Instagraminstagram.com/lionhealth.tech

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lionhealth