Katalin Karikó, Drew Weissman – pioneers of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines bag Nobel Prize 2023

Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman have been awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their pioneering contributions that paved the way for the development of highly effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. The prestigious Nobel Prize announcement was made by Thomas Perlmann, the secretary of the Nobel Assembly, based in Stockholm, Sweden.

This esteemed accolade, considered one of the most prestigious in the scientific realm, is bestowed by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute medical university and is accompanied by a prize of 11 million Swedish crowns, equivalent to approximately $1 million.

The Nobel Assembly highlighted the profound impact of Karikó and Weissman’s work, emphasizing that their groundbreaking research played a pivotal role in expediting the development of vaccines during the unprecedented global health crisis posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Their contributions significantly contributed to the swift creation of vaccines, addressing one of the most significant threats to modern human health.

Katalin Karikó holds the position of professor at Sagan’s University in Hungary and serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. On the other hand, Drew Weissman is recognized as the Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research and serves as the Director of the Penn Institute for RNA Innovations.

Karikó, who formerly held the role of senior vice president and head of RNA protein replacement at BioNTech, transitioned to an advisory role at the company last year. Meanwhile, Weissman is a professor specializing in vaccine research at the Perelman School.

Upon being informed of the prestigious award, the Nobel Assembly secretary reported that both Karikó and Weissman were “overwhelmed” by the extraordinary news.

The two laureates achieved a significant scientific breakthrough by discovering a method to prevent the immune system from mounting an inflammatory response against lab-made mRNA. This immune response had been a major obstacle hindering the therapeutic use of mRNA technology.

Their groundbreaking research, initiated in 2005, unveiled the significance of nucleoside base modifications in shielding the mRNA from detection by the immune system. This pivotal discovery revolutionized our understanding of how mRNA interacts with the immune system, with profound implications for the recent pandemic.

Rickard Sandberg, a member of the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institute, lauded the laureates’ contributions, noting that they collectively saved countless lives, mitigated severe COVID-19 cases, alleviated the burden of disease, and facilitated the reopening of societies. Their work represents a milestone in the fight against the global pandemic.

As of June 2023, approximately 1.5 billion individuals worldwide have received mRNA vaccinations developed by the German biotechnology firm BioNTech and pharmaceutical company Pfizer, as reported by Reuters. These vaccines have played a pivotal role in global efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) revealed that COVID-19 vaccines contributed to saving nearly 20 million lives worldwide within the first year of the pandemic.

This prestigious Nobel Prize in medicine commences the 2023 Nobel Prize awards season, with the physics prize set to be announced on Tuesday, followed by the chemistry prize on Wednesday and the literature prize on Thursday. The official Nobel Prize ceremony, during which the Swedish king will present the awards, is scheduled for December 10, coinciding with the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.