Three Pharma Companies Honored with 'Nobel Prize of Medicine' – Galien Awards Announced

　　【Pharmaceutical Network | Industry Dynamics] Recently, the Galien Foundation announced the winners of the 2019 Prix Galien USA Awards, often hailed as the “Nobel Prize of the pharmaceutical industry.” This year’s laureates include GSK’s Shingrix, which received the Best Pharmaceutical Product Award; Spark Therapeutics’ Luxturna, which won the Best Biotechnology Product Award; and Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System, which was honored with the Best Medical Technology Award. These achievements underscore the dedication of scientists and researchers in their fight against disease to improve human health.
 

　　Best Drug Award: GSK’s Shingrix
 

GSK’s Shingrix, a shingles vaccine, wins the Best Drug Award. Data indicate that shingles is an infectious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus, with postherpetic neuralgia being a common complication. The associated pain can persist for months to years, severely impairing patients’ normal work and daily life. Shingrix was launched in the United States in October 2017, and clinical trials demonstrated its efficacy in preventing shingles exceeded 90%.
 

Data show that nearly 3 million adults in China are affected by herpes zoster each year. Due to the lack of effective prevention and treatment options for this disease in China, the Chinese National Medical Products Administration approved the launch of Shingrix in China this May for the prevention of herpes zoster in adults aged 50 years and older.
 

　　Best Biotechnology Product Award: Spark's Luxturna
 

Luxturna, a gene therapy developed by Spark Therapeutics for the treatment of specific genetic disorders, has won the Best Biotechnology Product Award. Luxturna was approved by the U.S. FDA in December 2017 for the treatment of patients with inherited retinal dystrophy caused by mutations in the RPE65 gene.
 

On November 23, 2018, Luxturna received European Union approval for marketing authorization for the treatment of inherited retinal dystrophy caused by biallelic RPE65 mutations in adult and pediatric patients with sufficient viable retinal cells.
 

Data indicate that RPE65-mediated inherited retinal disease is a progressive condition that leads to complete blindness in most patients. Luxturna is the first gene therapy for a genetic disorder to receive regulatory approval in the United States and the European Union.
 

　　Best Medical Technology Award: Abbott's FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System
 

Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre 14-Day Flash Glucose Monitoring System Wins Best Medical Technology Award. Unlike traditional blood glucose monitoring methods, the FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System eliminates the need for fingerstick blood sampling. Users can simply scan the sensor placed on the back of the upper arm to obtain real-time, accurate glucose readings anytime and anywhere, thereby avoiding the pain and inconvenience associated with fingerstick testing.
 

Dr. Roger S. Mazze, Chief Academic Officer of the International Diabetes Center (IDC) and Vice President of the Park Nicollet Institute, has stated that this innovative technology will help people better control their blood glucose levels, further enhancing the convenience and effectiveness of daily diabetes management. Moreover, it provides patients and physicians with a comprehensive profile of glucose fluctuations, thereby offering a reliable reference for discussing and determining individualized treatment plans.
 

China has now become the "kingdom of diabetes," with an estimated prevalence rate of 11.6% among adults aged 18 and above. According to the research study titled "Current Status of Diabetes Prevalence and Control in Chinese Adults," the number of diabetic patients in China had reached 114 million by 2017. The prevalence of diabetes in China is experiencing explosive growth, with a noticeable trend toward younger onset.
 

Experts point out that blood glucose monitoring is a crucial component of diabetes management, with monitoring metrics closely correlated to diabetic outcomes. On May 21, 2017, the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system was officially launched in China, empowering Chinese citizens to monitor their blood glucose levels anytime and anywhere, thereby gaining insight into their true glycemic status.