The Prix Galien USA Committee last night honored excellence in the biopharmaceutical and medical industry for research, development, and innovation at its 13th annual Prix Galien Awards Gala, held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. In recognition of the development and discovery of products that improve the human condition, a committee of highly accomplished scientific leaders, inclusive of four Nobel Laureates, recognized winners in three categories: “Best Pharmaceutical Product,” “Best Biotechnology Product,” and “Best Medical Technology.”
The 2019 Prix Galien USA Award Winners:
- Best Pharmaceutical Product: GlaxoSmithKline – SHINGRIX
- Best Biotechnology Product: Spark Therapeutics – LUXTURNA™ (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl)
- Best Medical Technology: Abbott – FreeStyle® Libre 14 Day Flash – Glucose Monitoring System
“All of the 2019 nominees exemplify the great scientific advancements of our generation,” said Dr. Sue Desmond-Hellmann, Chief Executive Officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Chair of the Prix Galien USA. “The real winners are the patients and caregivers who stand to benefit from the relentless pursuit of knowledge ultimately shaping a vision of better health and wellness across the world.”
“The 2019 product award winners reflect the Galien Foundation’s mission to improve the human condition and highlights the dedication scientists and researchers have to fighting diseases to create a better world for patients,” said Bruno Cohen, Chairman of the Galien Foundation. “The Committee is inspired by the award winners and nominees’ commendable commitment to patient care and is honored to recognize their achievements.”
In addition to the product innovation awards, this year’s Roy Vagelos Pro Bono Humanum Award was presented to Jim Simons, Chairman, and Marilyn Simons, President, of The Simons Foundation. With a mission of understanding the phenomena of our world, Jim and Marilyn were awarded for their proactive support to advance the research of mathematics and the basic sciences and efforts to inspire emerging and current philanthropists to dedicate a portion of their philanthropy to basic science.