Covid-19 vaccine innovators Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine
Stockholm (Sweden), October 2: The Nobel Prize in Medicine has been jointly awarded to Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman for their groundbreaking discoveries that paved the way for the development of highly effective mRNA vaccines against Covid-19.
In an announcement made by The Nobel Prize on Monday, it stated, "The 2023 #NobelPrize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against Covid-19."
The Nobel Assembly further highlighted the significant impact of their work, stating, "The findings by 2023 #NobelPrize laureates Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman led to the approval of two highly successful mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines in late 2020. The vaccines have saved millions of lives and prevented severe disease in many more."
The Nobel Assembly underscored the critical role played by Katalin Kariko and Weissman in the rapid development of mRNA vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic that began in early 2020.
BREAKING NEWS
The 2023 #NobelPrize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/Y62uJDlNMj — The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 2, 2023
"Their groundbreaking findings, which have fundamentally changed our understanding of how mRNA interacts with our immune system, contributed to the unprecedented speed of vaccine development during one of the greatest threats to human health in modern times," the Nobel Assembly remarked.
Furthermore, it noted that the laureates' discovery revealed that base-modified mRNA can be utilized "to block activation of inflammatory reactions and increase protein production when mRNA is delivered to cells."
The Nobel Assembly also acknowledged the pioneering work of Katalin Kariko and Weissman, noting that their seminal 2005 paper, despite receiving little attention at the time, laid the foundation for critical advancements that have played a vital role in humanity's battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.
- ANI
