Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 Vaccine Wins Prestigious Prix Galien Canada Award
16 November 2023
In a significant acknowledgment of scientific achievement, Pfizer and BioNTech have been honored with the 2023 Prix Galien Canada Innovative Product Award for their COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty. This esteemed award, presented annually, distinguishes a breakthrough drug that has profoundly influenced patient care in Canada, particularly in efficacy, safety, benefits, and innovation.
The COVID-19 pandemic, a crisis of global proportions, demanded swift and effective countermeasures to mitigate its profound social and economic fallout. Answering this call, BioNTech and Pfizer united their efforts in early 2020, embarking on an ambitious journey to develop an mRNA vaccine. This collaboration culminated in Comirnaty, a vaccine that set new records in vaccine development and played a pivotal role in saving lives and relieving overburdened healthcare systems and workers.
Dr. Jean Gray, Chair of the Prix Galien Canada Jury, praised the groundbreaking achievement:
"Pfizer and BioNTech came together to accomplish one of the most ambitious vaccine development programs in history, shattering the previous record set in the 1960s for the development of a mumps vaccine, which took four years."
At the Health Research Foundation Awards Reception in Montreal, Najah Sampson, President of Pfizer Canada, expressed her gratitude upon receiving the Prix Galien Innovative Product Award:
"It is with great pleasure and profound gratitude that I stand here today to accept the prestigious Prix Galien Innovative Product Award on behalf of Pfizer and BioNTech for Comirnaty, Canada's first approved COVID-19 vaccine."
The Prix Galien Canada - Innovative Product Award is a yearly accolade bestowed upon a company that has launched a drug product in the Canadian market, recognized for its significant contribution to patient care in Canada. The criteria for this honor include efficacy, safety, benefits, and innovation, making it one of the most coveted awards in the pharmaceutical industry.
This recognition of Comirnaty underscores the vital role of innovation and collaboration in addressing global health crises, setting a benchmark for future endeavors in the field of medical science.
About the Health Research Foundation
The Health Research Foundation (HRF) of Innovative Medicines Canada is a non-profit organization that invests in Canadian academic health research and promotes the value of research-driven health innovation in Canada. The HRF is one of the leading private health foundations in the country and its contributions help prevent illness, treat disease, and improve Canada's health-care systems. The organization is committed to addressing health challenges through research excellence, stakeholder partnerships and the advancement of public policy.
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