Prix Galien shortlist unveiled
pharmafile | June 24, 2010 | News story | Research and Development | prix galien
The shortlist of innovative medicines which will compete for two prestigious UK Prix Galien medals later this year has been announced.
The 2010 awards, billed as the ‘Nobel Prize for drug discovery’ by head judge, NICE chairman Professor Sir Michael Rawlins, will take place at the House of Lords this October.
Six drugs are shortlisted for the main ‘innovative drug’ prize. AstraZeneca’s lung cancer treatment Iressa, Bayer Schering’s oral anti-blood clot treatment Xarelto and Chugai/Roche’s rheumatoid arthritis treatment RoActemra are all through to the final stage. Joining them will be Merck Serono’s cancer treatment Erbitux, Napp’s severe pain and constipation drug Targinact and Servier’s treatment for major depressive episodes Valdoxan.
A second award category for orphan drugs, will be contested by four companies. Celgene with Vidaza for Myelodysplastic syndromes, Genzyme with Mozobil for stem cell mobilisation Novartis’s Afinitor for renal cancer and Shire’s Firazyr for acute attacks of hereditary angioedema.
In line with this year’s entry criteria, each of the shortlisted products were launched or granted a new indication in the UK between 1 January 2008 and 31 March 2010.
Prix Galien is the highest accolade for pharmaceutical R&D, and rewards the technical, scientific and clinical research skills necessary to develop innovative medicines.
The 2010 ceremony will be held at the House of Lords on Wednesday 13 October. Lord Walton of Detchant, a former Prix Galien judge, takes over from new Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, as the Parliamentary sponsor.
Lord Walton said: “I cannot but be greatly impressed by the quality of the shortlisted entries for the two prizes; the first for innovation in drug discovery and development, and the second for development in the orphan drug field. The quality of the entries submitted for the two awards has clearly been exceptional.”
The awards takes place every two years, and remains the only awards ceremony of its type, judged by an esteemed panel of the industry’s own customers. The Advisory Board comprises some of the most influential voices from within the NHS and its calibre has helped cement the Prix Galien’s reputation as the industry’s most important, independent awards process.
“All of the judges are senior and well-respected NHS professionals, from Professor Sir Michael Rawlins to Professor Dame Carol Black,” says Karen Westaway, joint chief executive at WG Consulting, which has owned the UK Prix Galien franchise for five years and has managed the process since 1996.
“They are all high-achieving, influential stakeholders who have shaped, and are still shaping, healthcare. Their continued commitment is an endorsement of the process. Once again, the standard of entries presented to them has been incredibly high – further reinforcing the UK industry’s hard-earned reputation for innovation. In such a highly competitive environment, selecting the winners will not be easy. But, in the true spirit of Prix Galien, the UK pharmaceutical industry and, of course, patient care, will emerge as the true victors.”
The 2008 Prix Galien medal for innovation was shared by GSK’s Cervarix and Sanofi Pasteur MSD’s Gardasil. Novartis’ Exjade won the Prix Galien award for orphan drug development.
For more information, visit www.prixgalien.co.uk
Andrew McConaghie
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