BROOKLYN: Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals announced that H. Michael Shepard, a member of Henogenyx’s Scientific Advisory Board, has been awarded the 2019 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award.
The award is given annually for biological discoveries and clinical advances that improve human health. The Lasker Awards are America’s most prestigious medical research awards, the US Nobel.
This year’s prize recognizes Dr. Shepard’s pivotal role in the invention of Herceptin, a life-saving therapy for women with breast cancer. Herceptin is credited with reducing the risk of breast cancer recurrence and extending the survival time for patients with metastatic as well as early-stage disease.
In awarding the prize to Dr. Shepard, the Lasker Foundation said that Shepard’s research “executed a new blueprint for drug discovery that has already bestowed tens of thousands of women with time and quality of life.”
Upon learning of the honor, Dr. Vladislav Sandler, Hemogenyx’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are thrilled that Dr. Shepard’s life-saving work has been recognized by this prestigious award and we are fortunate to have such a distinguished scientist advising our own organization’s cutting-edge cancer research.”
Shepard becomes the second Hemogenyx board member to win the prestigious prize. In 2003, Chairman of the Board Sir Marc Feldmann received the Lasker Award for his ground-breaking discovery of antibodies that block TNF, an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.
“Michael Shepard is a pioneering scientist whose research has improved millions of lives,” said Sir Marc. “I’m an admirer of his achievements and proud to be his friend and have introduced him to Hemogenyx, where his expertise will help us achieve our goals.”
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