The Galien Foundation Announces 2026 Prix Galien USA, International Prix Galien and Prix Galien Patient First Award Recipients
NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Galien Foundation, the premier global institution dedicated to honoring innovation in the life sciences, celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Prix Galien USA Awards last night at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The event brought together distinguished leaders from the biomedical industry and academia to recognize outstanding achievements advancing medical innovation and patient care. This year's winners were selected by the Prix Galien USA Committees, comprising 25 committee members, 11 subcommittee members and 15 advisory board members, including three Nobel Laureates, and were honored across eight categories: "Best Biotechnology Product," "Best Pharmaceutical Product," "Best Product for Rare/Orphan Diseases," Best Medical Technology," "Best Digital Health Solution," "Incubators, Accelerators and Equity," "Prix Galien EcoHealth," and "Best Startup."
The ceremony also celebrated the inaugural Prix Galien Patient First Award, which honors exceptional advocacy and commitment to improving the patient journey, alongside the Prix Galien International recipients. Presented every two years, the International awards recognize previous national Prix Galien winners across six categories: "Best Biotechnology Product," "Best Digital Health Solution," "Best Medical Technology," "Best Pharmaceutical Product," "Best Product for Orphan/Rare Diseases," and "Best Startup."
"The Prix Galien Awards recognize the visionaries and organizations pushing the boundaries of healthcare and transforming the way we prevent, diagnose and treat disease. As we mark two decades of honoring excellence in the U.S., we are equally as proud to celebrate our International recipients and Patient First Award honorees for their relentless dedication to advancing scientific discovery, elevating patient care, and bringing life-changing solutions to communities worldwide,said Kenneth Frazier, Prix Galien Committee Chair (categories: Medical Technology, Digital Health, Incubator/Accelerator/Equity, and Startup), former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Merck & Co., Inc., Chairman, Health Assurance Initiatives, General Catalyst.
The 2026 Prix Galien USA Award Winners
Best Biotechnology Product
Denali Therapeutics Inc.
AVLAYAH™ (tividenofusp alfa-eknm)
Best Pharmaceutical Product
Novartis
PLUVICTO®
Best Product for Rare/Orphan Diseases
Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
REVUFORJ®
Best Medical Technology
Guardant Health
Shield™
Best Digital Health Solution
AEYE Health
AEYE-DS (AEYE Diagnostic Screening)
Incubators, Accelerators and Equity
PureTech Health
Prix Galien EcoHealth
California Resources Corporation / Carbon TerraVault
Best Startup - Medical Technology / Digital Health
Science Corporation
Best Startup - Biotechnology
Strand Therapeutics
The 2026 Prix Galien International Winners
Best Biotechnology Product
Daiichi Sankyo & AstraZeneca
Enhertu®
Best Biotechnology Product
Regeneron and Sanofi
Dupixent®
Best Digital Health Solution
Evaxion
AI-Immunology™ platform
Best Medical Technology
Edwards Lifesciences
Edwards EVOQUE Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement System
Best Pharmaceutical Product
MSD
KEYTRUDA
Best Pharmaceutical Product
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
CASGEVY® (exagamglogene autotemcel)
Best Product for Rare/Orphan Diseases
Immunocore
KIMMTRAK® (tebentafusp-tebn)
Best Startup
Dren Bio
The 2026 Prix Galien Patient First Award Winners
Private Sector-Led Initiative
Bristol Myers Squibb
Patient Expert Engagement Resource (PEER) Program
Patient-Led Initiative
Cure HHT
Nothing About HHT Without Us: A Patient-Governed Evidence Engine for a Disease With No Approved Therapy
"Behind every meaningful advance in medicine are the researchers, entrepreneurs and healthcare leaders who are willing to challenge conventional thinking and pursue new possibilities. The Prix Galien Award Committees are proud to honor this year's USA and International recipients, alongside our Patient First Award honorees, for their exceptional contributions to scientific progress and their commitment to addressing unmet medical needs," said Michael Rosenblatt, MD, Chair of the Prix Galien USA Awards Committee, former Dean of Tufts University School of Medicine, and former Chief Medical Officer of Merck & Co. Inc. "Their collective work represents the determination, advocacy, and global collaboration needed to turn promising ideas into life-changing advances for patients everywhere."
The Roy Vagelos Pro Bono Humanum Award for Global Health Equity was presented to John Kerry, former U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, and U.S. Senator, in recognition of his longstanding leadership in advancing global health, human rights, and environmental sustainability. Throughout his tenure in the Senate and as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary Kerry championed global HIV/AIDS relief, fought stigma, advocated for critical funding for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and co-authored the historic bipartisan repeal of the 20-year U.S. HIV visa ban. As the first U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, he further advanced the connection between environmental sustainability and public health, reinforcing the importance of protecting the planet as a foundation for a healthier future.
"As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Prix Galien USA Awards, we are proud to recognize the innovators whose work is shaping the future of medicine and improving the lives of patients around the world," said Bruno Cohen, Chairman of The Galien Foundation. "This year's celebration is especially meaningful as we honor our Prix Galien USA, International Prix Galien, and Prix Galien Patient First Award recipients, while also presenting The Roy Vagelos Pro Bono Humanum Award for Global Health Equity to Secretary John Kerry in recognition of his extraordinary lifetime of public service and dedication to global healthcare and climate initiatives. On behalf of The Galien Foundation, our Awards Committees, and the Prix Galien Alumni, we congratulate all of this year's honorees and look forward to the continued impact of their work."
The Prix Galien Awards were created in 1970 by Roland Mehl in honor of Galien, the father of medical science and modern pharmacology, to recognize outstanding innovation and scientific advancement. With chapters in 16 countries and Africa, Prix Galien is regarded worldwide as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for the life science industry.
International Prix Galien Awards Committee
Pr. Awa Marie COLL SECK
Minister of State to the President of the Republic of Senegal, President of the Scientific Committee of the Galien Forum Africa
Africa
Pr. Koen AUGUSTYNS
Full Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Antwerp.
Belgium/ Luxembourg
Dr. Mikael DOSTEN
Former Chief Scientific Officer & President, Worldwide Research, Pfizer. Board Member, Agilent Technologies, Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Chai Discovery, BenchSci, and Enveda Biosciences
Bridges (Nordic+/Austria/Israel/Portugal/Spain)
Pr. Ernesto L. SCHIFFRIN
Physician-in-Chief, Dept. of Medicine, Jewish General Hospital; Director, Hypertension and Vascular Research Unit, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research; Dist. James McGill Prof. and Assoc. Chair, Dept. of Medicine, McGill University
Canada
Dr. Annick TIBI
Head of Clinical Trials Department, AGEPS, AP-HP, Associate Professor, Head of UP "Pharmaceutical Development and Innovation", Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Paris
France
Pr. Marianne DIETERICH, Director of the neurology clinic and outpatient department at the University Hospital of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU).
Germany
Pr. George P. CHROUSOS
Professor, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian School of Athens
Greece
Pr. Ashutosh SHARMA
President, Indian National Science Academy
India
Pr. Pier Luigi CANONICO
Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology, Università del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro
Italy
Pr. Takashi KADOWAKI
President of the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences
Japan
Pr. Yeong Min PARK
CEO, Korea Drug Development Fund
Korea
Pr. Cezary SZCZYLIK
Polish Professor of Medical Science Specializing in Oncology, Hematology and Internal Diseases
Poland
Pr. Christoph RENNER
Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology; Director, Medical Program for Cell Therapy, Klinik Hirslanden, Zurich
Switzerland
Pr. Dr. Lisette van GERMERT-PIJNEN
Full Professor Persuasive Health Technology, University of Twente, and Visiting Professor, University of Waterloo
The Netherlands
Pr. Sir Munir PIRMOHAMED
David Weatherall Chair of Medicine, University of Liverpool, UK
United Kingdom
Mr. Kenneth C. FRAZIER
Retired Chairman and CEO, Merck & Co; Chairman, Health Assurance Initiatives, General Catalyst
United States of America
Dr. Michael ROSENBLATT
Member, Harvard Board of Overseers Advisory Partner, Ascenta Capital; Senior Advisor, Bain Capital Life Sciences & Flagship Pioneering; Member, Harvard Board of Overseers
United States of America
Prix Galien USA Awards Committee 2026
Prix Galien Best Medical Technology, Best Digital Health Solution, Best Incubator / Accelerator / Equity, and Best Startup Committee 2026
Kenneth C. FRAZIER
Committee Chair, Former Chairman & CEO Merck
Roch DOLIVEUX
Honorary CEO, UCB
Dr. Mikael DOLSTEN
Former Chief Scientific Officer & President, Pfizer Research and Development
Alex GORSKY
Former CEO & Executive Chairman, Johnson & Johnson
Penny HEATON
M.D., Global Head, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Johnson & Johnson
Sheri McCOY
Board of Directors, AstraZeneca, Former CEO, Avon
Joel S. MARCUS
Executive Chairman & Founder, Alexandria
Christophe WEBER,
Healthcare Executive, Former CEO Takeda Pharmaceutical
Elias ZERHOUNI
Former Head of Global R&D, Sanofi
Prix Galien Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical and Rare/Orphan Diseases Awards Committee 2026
Michael ROSENBLATT
M.D., Galien Forum Co-Chair, Former Dean of Tufts University School of Medicine, Former Chief Medical Officer of Merck & Co., Inc., Member, Harvard Board of Overseers
Prix Galien Committee Chair
Linda BUCK
Ph.D., Nobel Laureate, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center member; Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington
Susan DESMOND-HELLMANN
M.D., M.P.H., Former Chief Executive Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Laurie GLIMCHER
M.D., President and CEO, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Avram HERSHKO
M.D., Ph.D., Nobel Laureate, Distinguished Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology
Mary-Claire KING
Ph.D., American Cancer Society Professor of Genome Sciences and Medical Genetics, University of Washington
Sir Cato T. LAURENCIN
M.D., Ph.D., K.C.S.L., Chief Executive Officer, The Cato T. Laurencin Institute at UConn; The University Professor and Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor, University of Connecticut
Steven J. LESTER
M.D., Medical Director, Discovery Oasis; Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Mayo Clinic and ASU Alliance for Health Care Accelerator
Stanley B. PRUSINER
M.D., Nobel Laureate, Professor of Neurology, Director, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco
Phillip A. SHARP
Ph.D., Nobel Laureate, Professor of Biology and member of the Koch Institute, Chair of the advisory board of the MIT Jameel Clinic
Marc TESSIER-LAVIGNE
Ph.D., President Emeritus and Professor, Stanford University
Prix Galien USA EcoHealth
Adam SCHECHTER
Committee Chair
Chairman and CEO, Labcorp
Gil BASHE
Chair Global Health and Purpose, FINN Partners
Editor-in-Chief, Medika Life
Galien Foundation Committee Liaison
Ouided BOUCHAMAOUI
Nobel Peace Prize
Professor of Practice of Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at NYU Abu Dhabi
Pr. Awa Marie COLL-SECK, MD, PhD
Former Senior Minister to the President of Senegal
Former Minister of Health
Chair of Galien Africa
Judith DIMENT MBE
Dean Rotary Representatives to the United Nations 2020-2024
Vice Chair International Polio Plus Committee
Rotary Representative, Commonwealth Nations
James E.K. HILDRETH, Ph.D., MD
President and CEO, Meharry Medical College
Prix Galien Medical Technology Sub-Committee:
Robert S. LANGER
David H. Koch Institute Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cato T. LAURENCIN
M.D., Ph.D., University Professor, University of Connecticut
Steven LESTER
M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Mayo Clinic-ASU MedTech Accelerator
Bernard POUSSOT
Director, Roche Holding, Former Chairman & CEO, Wyeth, Chairman Prix Galien, In Memoriam
Prix Galien Incubators, Accelerators, and Equity Category Sub Committee:
Gil BASHE
Managing Partner, Chair Global Health and Purpose, FINN Partners
Ron COHEN
M.D., Founder, President & CEO, Acorda Therapeutics
Jamey EDWARDS
Former CEO, Emergent Medical Associates
Amir KALALI
M.D., Chairman & Chief Curator CNS Summit/Co-Chair Decentralized Trial Research Alliance
Michelle LONGMIRE
M.D., Co-Founder & CEO, Medable Inc.
James PRUTOW
J.D., MBA, Advisory Partner – Life Sciences, Molecular Diagnostics, Global Healthcare, PwC Consulting
Julien de SALABERRY
CEO & Founder, Galen Growth
Prix Galien Startup Advisory Board:
Elaine BRENNAN
Executive Director, Global Strategic Partnerships, Northwell Health
Rodolphe KATRA
Ph.D.,Sr. Research Director & Technical Fellow, Medtronic
Michael LANGER
Founder and Managing Partner at T.Rx Capital
Jonathan MARCHADO
Managing Director, Samsung Next
Detlev MENNERICH
Corporate SVP, Global Head of Business Development &Licensing (BD&L), Boehringer Ingelheim
Leighanne OH
MS, Life Sciences Investor, Novo Holding
Denis PATRIC
Ph.D., Emerging Science & Innovation, Partnering Pfizer
Dennis PURCELL
Founder, Aisling Capital
Prix Galien Digital Health Advisory Board:
Junaid BAJWA
Chief Medical Scientist, Microsoft Research, Microsoft
Ariel KATZ
CEO and Co-foudner, H1
Sachin NANAVATI
Head, Industry, Healthcare, Google
Jay RAJDA
M.D., Clinical Leader, Healthcare, Amazon
MaryAnne RIZK
Ph.D., Managing Partner, Rizk Management Advisors, Adjunct Professor, Stevens Institute of Technology
Steven ROSENBERG
Chief Executive Officer, uMotif
Daniel VIAL
Former Advisor of Sanofi CEO, Healthcare Consultant
Prix Galien Patient First Award Judges 2026
Amy P. ABERNETHY, M.D., Ph.D.
Cofounder, Highlander Health; Former Principal Deputy Commissioner, FDA
Ronald BARTEK, MA
Co-founder/President, Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance; Board of Directors/past Chairman, National Organization for Rare Disorders; Vice President & Board of Directors, Alliance for a Stronger FDA, Board of Directors, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine
David FAJGENBAUM, M.D., MBA, MSc.
Co-Founder & President of Every Cure; Faculty member, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Julie FLESHMAN, J.D., MBA
President & CEO, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
Julie GERBERDING, M.D., MPH
President & CEO, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH)
Margaret HAMBURG, M.D.
Co-President, InterAcademy Partnership; Former Commissioner, US Food and Drug Administration
Steven LESTER, M.D.
Medical Director, Discovery Oasis and Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Mayo Clinic and ASU Alliance for Health Care Accelerator
Tania SIMONCELLI, MS
Vice President, Translational Impact & Engagement, Biohub
Andrew SPIEGEL, Esq.
Chairman, World Patient Alliance
Sheri STRAHL, MBA, MPH
President & CEO, ALS Network
Janet WOODCOCK, M.D.
Longtime Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and Former Principal Deputy Commissioner, USFDA; Board Member, Every Cure
Galien Patient First Award Advisory Board
Karla CHILDERS
Vice President, Bioethics, Policy & Partnerships, Johnson & Johnson
Grace CORDOVANO, Ph.D., BCPA
Founder, Enlightening Results, Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy
Julie CRONER
Patient Leader & VP, Community Development, Health Union
Dave deBRONKART
Patient Advocate; Co-Founder & Chair Emeritus, Society for Participatory Medicine
Jan GEISSLER, MBA
Founder & CEO, Patvocates
Aaron LEIBTAG
CEO & Co-founder, Pentavere (a HEALWELL AI company)
Dana LEWIS
Founder, Open APS
Derick MITCHELL, Ph.D.
Executive Director of Programs, The Synergist
About The Galien Foundation
The Galien Foundation fosters, recognizes, and rewards excellence in scientific innovation to improve human health. Its vision is to serve as a catalyst for the development of the next generation of treatments and technologies that will transform medical practice and save lives. Established in Paris in 1970 by Roland Mehl in honor of Galen, the father of medical science and modern pharmacology, the Prix Galien is widely regarded as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in biopharmaceutical research.
Today, the Prix Galien operates through 18 chapters spanning more than 75 countries across Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Expansion is currently underway in China, Singapore, and Australia.
In 2025, the Foundation launched the inaugural Prix Galien Bridges Forum and Awards Ceremony at the Nobel Forum in Stockholm, spanning Northern and Southern Europe, Israel, and the Middle East, and the first-ever Patient Summit for Prix Galien USA, reinforcing its commitment to science without borders.
The Nobel Prize and the Prix Galien share a common birthplace in Paris, where Alfred Nobel signed his last will and testament in 1895. However, while the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine recognizes up to three individuals for specific discoveries, the Prix Galien honors the collaborative spirit and multidisciplinary progress that define modern biopharmaceutical innovation.
For more information, visit www.galienfoundation.org.
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SOURCE The Galien Foundation