Flashpoint Therapeutics Founder Chad A. Mirkin Receives American Chemical Society’s Top Honor

EVANSTON, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Flashpoint Therapeutics, a biotechnology company pioneering the development of transformative nanomedicines, proudly congratulates its founder, Professor Chad A. Mirkin, on being named the recipient of the 2027 Priestley Medal by the American Chemical Society (ACS). This accolade stands as the premier distinction in the field of chemistry, celebrating Prof. Mirkin’s sweeping innovations in nanotechnology and his distinguished service to the global scientific community.

A global leader in supramolecular chemistry, nanoscience, and nanotechnology, Mirkin has transformed how chemists design, synthesize, and apply nanoscale materials. His work has led to the discovery and development of new classes of nanomaterials, including spherical nucleic acids (SNAs)—the founding discovery driving Flashpoint Therapeutics’ pipeline of breakthrough nucleic acid therapeutics.

“The Priestley Medal is a signature honor for a chemist. The list of past winners is extraordinary, including many of the scientific luminaries of the last century,” Mirkin said. “It is an important recognition of our decades of research in nanochemistry, including the application of spherical nucleic acids as an engine for next-generation treatments that can profoundly benefit patients.”

Prof. Mirkin is the George B. Rathmann Professor of Chemistry and a professor of medicine (hematology and oncology), materials science and engineering, biomedical engineering and chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern, where he has appointments in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and McCormick School of Engineering. He also is the director of the International Institute for Nanotechnology.

“We are thrilled to see Prof. Mirkin recognized with the ACS’s most prestigious award,” said Barry Labinger, Chief Executive Officer of Flashpoint Therapeutics. “Chad’s visionary work in nanotechnology, specifically his invention of SNAs, has reshaped the landscape of targeted therapeutics. At Flashpoint Therapeutics, we are honored to build upon his unparalleled scientific foundation as we work to translate these breakthroughs into highly effective, next-generation treatments for patients.”

Across a career spanning more than three decades, Prof. Mirkin has authored over 940 publications, holds more than 1,470 patent applications worldwide, and has received over 250 prestigious honors. A prolific innovator and entrepreneur, he has founded 11 companies, including Flashpoint Therapeutics, to commercialize technologies developed in his laboratory.

The Priestley Medal, established in 1922, is awarded annually by ACS to recognize distinguished service to chemistry. Prof. Mirkin will officially receive the award at the ACS Spring 2027 meeting in New Orleans. He will join a highly distinguished list of past laureates that includes 24 Nobel Prize winners.

About Flashpoint Therapeutics

Flashpoint Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a new class of precision-engineered structural nanomedicines. Our platform enables the creation of targeted therapies that co-deliver optimized combinations of therapeutic components directly to individual cells, enhancing drug delivery, stability, potency, and safety. This modular approach supports a broad range of therapies, encompassing modalities like mRNA, siRNA, DNA, proteins, and CRISPR. The company’s proprietary discovery platform is founded on nanotechnology research developed over the past decade at the laboratory of Prof. Chad Mirkin, Director of the International Institute for Nanotechnology at Northwestern University. Through strategic licensing and acquisition transactions with Northwestern University, Holden Pharmaceuticals, and Exicure, Flashpoint has assembled more than 150 issued patents and patent applications covering nucleic acid, protein, and CRISPR gene editing therapeutics. The company is funded by key investors, including Beta Lab and CS Venture Opportunities Fund. The company has also established an important partnership with King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), which will advance the technology platform via the Flashpoint-KAIMRC Center of Excellence in Structural Nanomedicine and clinical trials in Saudi research institutions.

For more information about Flashpoint Therapeutics, please visit www.flashpoint.bio.