James D. Watson Helix Awards Presented to Biotech’s Outstanding Performers
CHICAGO (April 12, 2006) – The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today presented three outstanding biotechnology companies with the prestigious James D. Watson Helix Award for Biotechnology Industry Leadership. BIO presented the awards in conjunction with the Long Island Life Sciences Initiative and the Center for Biotechnology, Stony Brook University. The winners are:
· Genentech Inc., of South San Francisco, Calif.
· Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass.
· Novo Nordisk Inc., of Princeton, N.J.
The awards were given at the BIO 2006 Annual International Convention in Chicago.
“These exceptional companies were singled out and recognized as industry leaders by their peers. Each firm is devoting its resources to developing cutting-edge science that will lead to breakthrough, life-saving therapies. I congratulate them for their success and commitment to saving and improving patient lives,” said Jim Greenwood, BIO’s president and CEO.
Richard Catalano, partner with KPMG LLP, who tabulated the results, said, “We had a record number of applications for this year’s Helix Awards. The five-member judging panel had an extremely difficult time choosing among the many outstanding submissions.”
The James D. Watson Helix Award, the bioscience industry’s only award for outstanding corporate achievement, was created to celebrate the importance, the excellence and the creative character of the industry. The award recognizes biotechnology companies that have distinguished themselves by setting a singular standard of corporate leadership as reflected in performance in three distinct areas: scientific innovation, company growth and corporate citizenship.
Large-Capitalization Winner: Genentech
Genentech, the founder of the biotechnology industry, is a company with over a quarter-century track record of delivering on the promise of biotechnology. The company commercializes and manufactures 12 protein-based biotherapeutics for serious or life-threatening medical conditions, giving it one of the leading product portfolios in the biotech industry. In 2005, the company had an unprecedented year in product development with positive Phase III data from eight clinical trials on four products.
"This recognition is a tribute to Genentech employees and their contributions to the company's success," said Arthur D. Levinson, Ph.D., Genentech’s chairman and CEO. "Since Genentech's founding 30 years ago, our focus on patients continues to motivate us in our quest to translate great scientific research from our labs into breakthrough therapies to treat serious diseases like cancer and blindness."
Emerging Company/Mid-Capitalization Winner: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Alnylam is working to build a leading product company based on novel RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics. RNAi, a recent breakthrough in biology, is believed to have the potential to generate an entirely new class of innovative medicines. In 2005, the company made significant scientific and clinical progress, and executed important business strategies that will help it continue to grow and build its business. Among its achievements last year, Alnylam initiated two Phase I trials with a candidate called ALN-RSV01, for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus infection. In addition, Alnylam formed a major alliance with Novartis that represents one of the most significant innovation-based drug discovery alliances in biotech.
“Alnylam is at the forefront of bringing an innovative new class of human therapeutics to patients whose disease cannot be addressed with today’s medicines. We are grateful for this important acknowledgment of our progress and achievements,” said John Maraganore, Ph.D., Alnylam’s president and CEO. “We’re indebted to our industry peers who have honored us with this award, as our efforts to harness a breakthrough in biology for human health would not be possible without the solid foundation and growing success of the biotechnology industry.”
International Winner: Novo Nordisk Inc.
A leader in diabetes care, Novo Nordisk in June 2005 won FDA approval of Levemir® (insulin detemir [rDNA origin] injection) for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2). Later in the year, the FDA also cleared the product for the treatment of diabetes in children. In September, the company won approval of a new indication (supplemental new drug application) for use of NovoLog® (insulin aspart [rDNA origin] injection) for the treatment of diabetes in children.
Martin Soeters, president of Novo Nordisk USA, said, “As a leader in using biotechnology to improve millions of patients’ lives, Novo Nordisk is honored to be recognized by our industry for our long and successful history of innovations in diabetes care and other therapeutic biologic therapies. These include the recent approval of our recombinant basal insulin analog, Levemir, which makes us the first company with a full range of insulin analogs, and the production of our lifesaving hemostatic recombinant Factor VIIa, NovoSeven.”
“At Novo Nordisk, we measure our success according to our Triple Bottom Line, which holds us accountable for financial, social, and environmental responsibility, so we are proud to have met the Helix award criterion for corporate citizenship,” Soeters concluded.
The James D. Watson Helix Award is presented by the Biotechnology Industry Organization, the Long Island Life Sciences Initiative, and the Center for Biotechnology, Stony Brook University.
BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and 31 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.
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