Daiichi Sankyo’s HER2 Directed ADC Receives Industry’s Top Award

Ken Takeshita, MD, Global Head, R&D, Daiichi Sankyo

Now, Daiichi Sankyo is honored to be linked with the world’s most impactful pharmaceutical innovators as a recipient of the Galien Foundation’s 2024 Prix Galien USA Award for Best Biotechnology Product for our HER2 directed antibody drug conjugate (ADC). 

“This award recognizes the science and innovation behind our DXd ADC Technology, which was discovered in our research labs in Japan, and its potential to improve the lives of people with cancer,” said Ken Takeshita, MD, Global Head, R&D, Daiichi Sankyo. “We share this achievement with the entire oncology community and its steadfast commitment to serve patients.” 

Each year, the Galien Foundation acknowledges the most impactful treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within the last five years. Prix Galien USA Award winners are selected by a committee composed of renowned scientists and clinicians. This is the first time Daiichi Sankyo has received a Galien medal, joining more than 100 companies around the world to be recognized since the prize was established in 1970.  

Toshinori Agatsuma, PhD, Head of Research, Daiichi Sankyo

“Accepting this prestigious award on behalf of the thousands of patients who may potentially benefit from this innovative medicine is truly an honor and humbling experience,” said Toshinori Agatsuma, PhD, Head of Research, Daiichi Sankyo. “While we are proud of all the extensive teamwork that has led to us receiving this amazing honor, we are not stopping here. We are continuing to evaluate this medicine across different lines of treatment in several types of HER2 targetable cancers, in hopes it can further help even more patients.” 

Founded in France by pharmacist Roland Mehl in honor of Claudius Galenus, considered the father of medical science and modern pharmacology, the Galien Foundation’s mission is to serve as a vehicle for the open exchange of ideas that drive science and new innovations. The foundation seeks to catalyze the development of the next generation of groundbreaking treatment and technologies that will improve health and save lives. 

The recognition by the Galien Foundation embodies what we as an organization seek to achieve for patients. It is a tribute to the thousands of global employees who share a singular purpose—to create new standards of care and better futures through innovation in medicine.