The Galien Foundation Announces the Nominees for the Inaugural 2026 Prix Galien Korea Awards

Historic First Edition Launches in Partnership with MK Media (Maekyung), Yozma Group Korea, the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association (KPBMA), and KoreaBIO at the World Knowledge Forum in Seoul

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Galien Foundation, the premier global institution dedicated to honoring innovators in life sciences, today announced the nominees for the inaugural 2026 Prix Galien Korea Awards in the "Best Pharmaceutical Product," "Best Biotechnology Product," "Best Medical Technology," "Best Digital Health Solution," and "Best Startup" categories. Winners will be honored at the Prix Galien Korea Awards Ceremony on September 10, 2026, at the Dynasty Hall of The Shilla Seoul. Prix Galien Korea has been organized in partnership with MK Media (Maekyung), Yozma Group Korea, the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association (KPBMA), and KoreaBIO. The event will run alongside the World Knowledge Forum, which has served as a platform for active discussions aimed at narrowing knowledge gaps through knowledge sharing, and fostering balanced global economic growth and prosperity, since the year 2000.

"Bringing the Prix Galien to Korea is a natural step for a country whose science, industry, and clinical excellence have become essential to global health innovation," said Bruno Cohen, Chairman of The Galien Foundation. "For more than fifty years, the Prix Galien has honored the discoveries that change patients' lives. With this inaugural Korean edition, launched alongside the World Knowledge Forum, we celebrate the researchers and organizations propelling Korea to the forefront of the life sciences and we welcome them into a community of innovators spanning more than sixteen countries."

The 2026 Prix Galien Korea marks the Foundation's first edition in Korea and unites global leaders in science and industry to drive conversations on the most transformative developments in medical innovation, entrepreneurship, and health equity. Ahead of the evening awards ceremony, the Prix Galien Korea Forum will open with a keynote address by Dr. Marty Makary and will feature a session with Dr. Leonard Schleifer, Founder & CEO of Regeneron, alongside distinguished speakers from academia, industry, and government.

"Korea has long been at the forefront of scientific innovation and clinical excellence, and the inaugural Prix Galien Korea is a fitting recognition of that leadership. As Committee Chair, I am proud to have worked alongside such distinguished colleagues to evaluate a remarkable group of nominees who are advancing the boundaries of medicine and improving the lives of patients across the country and around the world," said Dr. Yeong Min Park, M.D. Ph.D, Committee Chair, CEO, Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF). "This award celebrates not only the innovations themselves, but the dedication of the researchers, scientists, and entrepreneurs who make them possible."

In its inaugural year, The Galien Foundation has received a number of submissions totaling 33 across the following categories: "Best Pharmaceutical Product" – 5 nominees; "Best Biotechnology Product" – 2 nominees; "Best Medical Technology" - 4 nominees; "Best Digital Health Solution" - 7 nominees; and "Best Startup" - 15 nominees.

The following candidates have been selected as the 2026 Prix Galien Korea nominees:

Prix Galien Korea Awards Committee 2026

Yeong Min PARK
M.D., Ph.D, Committee Chair, CEO, Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF)

Hail KIM
M.D., Ph.D, Professor, Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering (GSMSE), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Inhee MOOK-JUNG
Ph.D, Professor, Seoul National University College of Medicine

Byoung Chul CHO
M.D., Ph.D, Professor, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center

Yeul Hong KIM
M.D., Ph.D, R&D President, Yuhan Corporation

Byung Geon RHEE
Ph.D, Chairman, International Vaccine Institute Korea Support Committee & Special Advisor, Flagship Pioneering South Korea

Taeghwan HYEON
Ph.D, SNU Distinguished Professor / Director, Seoul National University / Institute for Basic Science (IBS)

Beop-Min KIM
Ph.D, Director, Korea Medical Device Development Fund (KMDF), Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University

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 16 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 defines modern biopharmaceutical innovation.

For more information, visit https://www.galienfoundation.org/

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Media Contact:
Kara Bradley
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SOURCE The Galien Foundation