In memory of the industrial pharmacist and drug researcher Friedrich Stolz (see e.g. Pharmazeutische Zeitung 2010, 42 ) and his forward-looking innovative strength, the Division of Medicinal Chemistry of the German Chemical Society (GDCh) and the Pharmaceutical/Medical Chemistry Division of the German Pharmaceutical Society (DPhG) have since awarded The Friedrich-Stolz Award in 2022. The prize is awarded to an individual or team from the industrial environment in even years and to one from the academic environment in odd years. Recognition is given to exceptional commitment, scientific discoveries or innovative technologies with proven relevance that contribute to substantial therapeutic innovation or sustainable development and go beyond early stages of research. The award includes a certificate of award, prize money of 5,000 euros donated by the Divisions , a lecture at the “Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry” Conference and two further lectures at a university and industrial location within Germany.
A committee consisting of six people decides on the awarding of the prize: two board members of the GDCh Division (Chair/ Deputy Chair), two board members of the DPhG Division and two “external” people; If possible, one person per group comes from the university area and one from the industry area.
The price is currently not advertised.
At the " Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry 2024 " Conference in Munich, the Novartis team Christopher Adams, Rajeshri Karki, Nello Mainolfi and Stefanie Flohr were awarded the Friedrich Stolz Prize 2024 in recognition of their outstanding research contributions leading to the development of LNP023 (iptacopan), and the Merck team Dr. Oliver Schadt, Dr. Dieter Dorsch and Dr. Frank Stieber were awarded the Friedrich-Stolz Award 2024 in recognition of their work on the discovery of the MET inhibitor tepotinib.
Novartis team: "This highly active, orally bioavailable inhibitor of serine protease factor B (fB) was discovered using modern screening methods and a subsequent rigorous investigation of the structure-activity relationship. In clinical studies, it has shown excellent efficacy in various indications such as paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, a life-threatening genetic disorder of the blood count. Other kidney diseases such as IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) are being investigated. The team has thus carried out outstanding pioneering work for a new target class and thus made its biological potential accessible to important patient groups in various indications."
Merck team: "The excellent medicinal chemistry work led to the approval of Tepmetko®, the world's first inhibitor for the treatment of advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with METex14 skipping alteration. The structural starting points in this research project were identified in a high-throughput screening. In the course of the structure-assisted drug optimization, the medicinal chemistry team led by Dr. Dieter Dorsch, Dr. Oliver Schadt and Dr. Frank Stieber successfully optimized the complex profile of the lead structures multiparametrically, so that tepotinib was identified as an innovative clinical trial substance in 2009. In 2019, Tepmetko® achieved market approval. The team's performance, resilience and innovative strength impressively demonstrate the key role that medicinal chemistry plays in researching new therapeutic options in oncology."
Prize Committee 2024: Dr. Gerhard Heßler (GDCh), Dr. Tatjana Ross (GDCh), Prof. Dr. Stefan Laufer (DPhG), Prof. Dr. Bernhard Wünsch (DPhG), Dr. Franz von Nussbaum (GDChe) and Prof. Dr. Christa Müller (GDChe)
On the occasion of FiMC 2023 in Vienna, Prof. Dr. Rolf Hartmann honored with the Friedrich-Stolz Award 2023 in recognition of his lifetime scientific achievements in the field of rational drug design .
"The award-winning interdisciplinary work is based on innovative design, synthesis and usually a complete and extensive biophysical, biochemical and pharmacological evaluation in his own working group. Due to his excellent medicinal-chemical work, Prof. Dr. Hartmann succeeded in developing highly active and selective inhibitors of steroid biosynthesis . The propagation and validation of four new targets opened up the development of essential drugs for the treatment of cancer and led to three successful company foundations. The development of pathoblockers as a new approach to the antimicrobial resistance crisis is equally groundbreaking. The performance, innovative strength and successful translation are demonstrated in a powerful way, the key role medicinal chemistry plays in the exploration of fundamental pharmacological principles and how medicinal chemistry can work for the benefit of patients."
Prize Committee 2023: Dr. Ingo Hartung (external), Prof. Dr. Stefan Laufer (DPhG), Prof. Dr. Peter H. Seeberger (external; Chair ), Prof. Dr. Holger Stark (GDCh; representative for Prof. Dr. Anna Hirsch), Dr. Franz von Nussbaum (GDChe), Prof. Dr. Bernhard Wünsch (DPhG),
No participation due to bias : Prof. Dr. Anna Hirsch (GDCh)
The Friedrich-Stolz Award was awarded for the first time on March 16, 2022 on the occasion of the Online FiMC 2022 to Prof. Dr. Joachim Mittendorf, Dr. Markus Follmann and Dr. Michael Hahn (Bayer AG) awarded in recognition of her work in the discovery of modulators of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC).
"The award-winning work initially enabled the validation of sGC as a highly relevant cardiovascular target with early lead structures and the first clinical candidates. The active ingredients riociguat and vericiguat - both sGC stimulators - were developed based on the work of Prof. Dr. Joachim Mittendorf and Dr. Markus Follmanns successfully approved as medication. Riociguat is now used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, vericiguat to treat chronic heart failure. Based on Dr. Michael Hahn's work, in addition to the sGC stimulators mentioned, sGC activators are now also in advanced clinical testing. This is how "We tested runcaciguat as a treatment option for chronic kidney disease. The team's performance and innovative strength clearly demonstrate the key role medicinal chemistry plays in researching fundamental pharmacological principles and how medicinal chemistry can work for the benefit of patients."
Prize Committee 2022: Prof. Dr. Anna Hirsch (GDCh), Prof. Dr. Stefan Laufer (DPhG), Prof. Dr. Christa Müller (DPhG), Prof. Dr. Peter H. Seeberger (external; Chair )
No participation due to bias : Dr. Ingo Hartung (external), Dr. Franz von Nussbaum (GDCh)
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last modified: 08.04.2024 12:46 H from M.Fries
