Abbott's Humira (Adalimumab) Honored with Prestigious Galen Prize for Innovation in Patient Care

HUMIRA is approved for use in the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and moderate to severe Crohn's disease.

01/10/07 Abbott, a leader in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, has received the 2007 Galen Prize for Best Biotechnology Product for HUMIRA (adalimumab), the first approved fully human antibody. HUMIRA is approved for use in the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and moderate to severe Crohn's disease. The Galen Prize, considered an equivalent to the Nobel Prize and awarded by Prix Galien USA, is one of the highest accolades in the pharmaceutical and biomedical industry recognizing excellence in medical and scientific research and innovation.

This is the first year in which the award, founded in France in 1970 and recognized as an international research honor, has been expanded to recognize scientific innovation from U.S. pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies specifically. Abbott won the prestigious Prix Galien international award in 1999 for developing one of the first protease inhibitors for the treatment of HIV.

"Abbott is extremely honored to be a Galen Prize recipient, as it recognizes our diligence in the discovery and development of innovative treatments for immunologic diseases," said John Leonard, M.D., vice president, Global Medical and Scientific Affairs, Abbott. "HUMIRA has become an important treatment option for many patients dealing with these diseases."

HUMIRA resembles antibodies normally found in the body and works by specifically blocking tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), a protein that when produced in excess, plays a central role in the inflammation associated with autoimmune diseases. HUMIRA is a fully-human self-administered biologic and 190,000 patients worldwide are currently being treated.

"HUMIRA represents years of dedicated research as part of our commitment to improve the human condition," said Jochen Salfeld, Ph.D., divisional vice president, Biologics Research, Abbott Bioresearch Center, who played an instrumental role in the development of HUMIRA. "We believe that the potential exists for HUMIRA to be effective in other diseases that have significant unmet needs and we're continuing to pursue that research in hopes of providing relief to patients worldwide."