The Galien Foundation Announces New "Best Medical Technology" Award Category for 2012 Prix Galien USA Awards Program

NEW YORK, May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Galien Foundation announced today a new award category for the Prix Galien USA Awards, honoring innovation in biopharmaceuticals and medical technologies: "Best Medical Technology."  The annual Prix Galien USA Awards recognizes outstanding achievement in improving the human condition through the development of innovative medical treatments and drug therapies. The 2012 awards ceremony will be held on October 16th in New York City at The American Museum of Natural History.  Awards will be bestowed for products in the following categories; Best Pharmaceutical Agent, Best Biotechnology Product, and Best Medical Technology. Companies seeking to enter the awards program for Best Medical Technology must submit an entry by June 30th, 2012 to be eligible for consideration. Entry applications can be submitted online at http://candidates.prix-galien-usa.com. 

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120416/NY87735LOGO )

"Bringing together the latest advances in therapeutics and engineering, medical devices have the power to improve, enhance and extend life," said Bruno Cohen, Galien Foundation Chairman.  "To honor and recognize their critical impact on healthcare and outcomes, the Galien Foundation created a separate Best Medical Technology award category, and we look forward to celebrating the technological achievements of this impressive category."

"From medical stents to artificial limbs to mechanisms that power the heart, medical device technologies are changing the way we live and our expectations about life and health," said Stephen J. Ubl, President and CEO, Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed).  "As the trade association representing manufacturers of medical devices and diagnostics, we are proud to see that the Prix Galien Awards, one of the biomedical industry's highest honors, will highlight specifically the contributions of medical device technologies to improving health."

The Prix Galien USA Awards Committee is chaired by Dr. P. Roy Vagelos, Chairman of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Merck.  Honorary Committee Member Professor Elie Wiesel, Peace Nobel Laureate, will present the annual Pro Bono Humanum Award, which honors select individuals who have served to better humanity.

Additional information about the Prix Galien Awards, the Galien Foundation, and members of the Prix Galien USA Awards Committee is available on the Galien Forum website, www.galienfoundation.org.

About the Awards

The Prix Galien Awards were created to honor medical research and pharmacology for outstanding efforts to improve the human condition though approval of innovative treatments and medicines.  The winners are selected by a preeminent scientific and learned committee that included several Nobel Laureates. Past product award recipients include; Prevnar 13® (Pfizer 2011), Stelara® (Janssen 2011), Prolia®/XGEVA® (Amgen 2011), Coartem® (Novartis 2010), RotaTeq® (Merck 2010), xTAG® (Luminex 2010), Gleevec® (Novartis 2009), Nplate® (Amgen 2009), Promacta® (GSK 2009), Cellsearch® (Veridex 2009), Isentress® (Merck 2009), Selzentry® (Pfizer 2008), Soliris® (Alexion 2008), Infuse® (Wyeth 2008), Revlimid® (Celgene 2008), Januvia® (Merck 2007), Chantix® (Pfizer 2007), Humira® (Abbott 2007) and Gardasil® (Merck 2007). 

The Pro Bono Humanum Award recognizes exemplary efforts by individuals and organizations in helping mankind.  The award will be presented by Professor Elie Wiesel, a Nobel Prize Laureate.  Previous winners of the award include: Professor Paul Farmer (2011), President Bill Clinton and Philippe Douste-Blazy (2010); Professors Barry Bloom and Jeffrey Sachs (2009), Sheldon Segal and the Population Council (2008); and Dr. P. Roy Vagelos (2007). 

For more information visit www.galienfoundation.org. 

SOURCE Prix Galien USA