WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) announced today the recipients of the 2013 Research & Hope Awards, honoring outstanding achievements in vaccines research and immunization by individuals and research teams in the biopharmaceutical sector, academic/public research and health care provider communities.
“Over the last century, vaccines have transformed the public health landscape in the United States and around the world, preventing disease and improving the quality of life for multiple generations,” said PhRMA President and CEO John J. Castellani. “PhRMA is proud to honor the recipients of this year’s Research & Hope Awards. These inspiring collaborators within the biopharmaceutical ecosystem have helped drive the latest advances in vaccines and immunization to the benefit of patients everywhere.”
Vaccines are one of the most profound achievements of biomedical science and public health, resulting in the eradication of smallpox, near elimination of polio, rubella and measles, and the prevention of diseases like hepatitis A and B, pneumonia and some cancers caused by viruses. Innovative vaccines and immunization practices have protected countless children and families from needless illness. Building on this illustrious history, advances in scientific areas such as genomics are enabling researchers to develop not only new preventative vaccines, but also therapeutic vaccines for many types of cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and autoimmune disorders.
“Vaccines have made a profound impact on public health and have played a pivotal role in improving patient longevity in the U.S. and abroad,” said Bob Hugin, PhRMA Chairman and Chairman and CEO of Celgene Corp. “The incredible value that medicines and vaccines provide to society as a whole is truly astounding and would be impossible without the collaborative nature of the medical innovation ecosystem. The recipients of the 2013 Research & Hope Awards should be very proud of their achievements and the remarkable progress that is yet to come.”
Recipients of the PhRMA 2013 Research & Hope Awards are:
The PhRMA Research & Hope Award for Biopharmaceutical Industry Research in Vaccine Development
- GlaxoSmithKline Malaria Vaccine Team
The GlaxoSmithKline Malaria Vaccine Team, led by Dr. Sophie Biernaux, is receiving the 2013 PhRMA Research & Hope Award for Biopharmaceutical Industry Research for its ongoing development of a vaccine against malaria targeted to children in Sub-Saharan Africa. For more information on the team’s work, now in the final stages of a large, multi-center Phase III clinical trial, see the video and team bio.
The PhRMA Research & Hope Award for Academic or Public Research in Vaccine Development
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Douglas R. Lowy, MD
National Cancer Institute -
John T. Schiller, PhD
National Cancer Institute
Drs. Lowy and Schiller are receiving the 2013 PhRMA Research & Hope Award for Academic or Public Research for the discovery of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer. For more information on their pivotal work, see the video and bios.
The PhRMA Research & Hope Award for Patient and Community Health
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Linda Yu-Sing Fu, M.D., M.Sc.
Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC)
Dr. Fu, on behalf of her team at CNMC, is receiving the 2013 PhRMA Research & Hope Award for Patient and Community Health for their efforts to increase awareness of the importance of childhood immunization and raise the quality of immunization delivery to an at-risk population in the District of Columbia. For more information, see the video and bio.
Recipients of the Biopharmaceutical Industry Research and Academic or Public Research Awards were selected by the Science Advisory Board of the PhRMA Foundation following an open nominations process. The recipient of the Patient and Community Health Award was chosen by an inter-departmental committee of representatives from PhRMA.
PhRMA is joined by five health advocacy partners in recognizing the 2013 Research & Hope Awards honorees: the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), American Nurses Association, American Osteopathic Association, Malaria No More and National Association of School Nurses. Media partners for this year’s program are: WUSA-9, BioCentury Publications, “The Pink Sheet,” Pharmaceutical Executive, pharmaphorum and SCRIP Intelligence.
For more information on the 2013 Research & Hope Awards, including honoree biographies and videos of the honorees, visit http://www.phrma.org/awards.
For more information on the history and public health impact of vaccines, download PhRMA’s new 2013 Vaccines Fact Book.
To learn about the nearly 300 vaccines in development for both preventative and therapeutic uses, see PhRMA’s new Vaccines in Development report.
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. Since 2000, PhRMA member companies have invested approximately $550 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, including an estimated $48.5 billion in 2012 alone.
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For information on how innovative medicines save lives, visit: http://www.innovation.org
For information on the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, visit: http://www.pparx.org
For information on ensuring the flow of medicines during public health emergencies, visit http://www.rxresponse.org
