Researchers who helped millions with arthritis receive prestigious Janssen Award

Professor Feldmann, Head of the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology at Imperial College London, said: “Our findings were exciting because we discovered a new way of treating not just rheumatoid arthritis, but also a host of other chronic inflammatory conditions and perhaps acute ones too. It’s great to see that through targeting other cytokine messenger molecules, as well as TNF, we now have the potential to tackle even more diseases and help even more patients. I believe Dr Janssen would have been intrigued as we explore the range of diseases which may be treatable by these anti-cytokines.”

Professor Maini, former Head of the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology at Imperial College London, added: “Our discovery of anti-TNF therapy for disabling chronic inflammatory conditions was the result of contributions made by many colleagues and collaborators and only possible because of advances in molecular medicine and biotechnology. The joy of the fruits of our work is that it made a difference to the lives of so many patients, an outcome that Dr. Janssen especially would have appreciated.”

Established by Johnson & Johnson, the Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research honours the founder of Janssen Pharmaceutica. The award salutes the most passionate and creative scientists in basic or clinical research, whose scientific achievements have made, or have strong potential to make, a measurable impact on human health. Professors Maini and Feldmann will be presented with their award and prize at events in New York and Beerse, Belgium in September.

Solomon Snyder, Ph.D., Distinguished Service Professor of Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Chairman, Janssen Award Selection Committee, said: “The work of Feldmann and Maini exemplifies the bench-to-bedside approach that Paul Janssen’s contributions epitomized. It is extremely rare for researchers to identify a molecular messenger in test tube studies, demonstrate its physiologic relevance in animals and themselves carry these efforts forward to a successful clinical demonstration. Feldmann and Maini did all of this, leading to therapeutic agents of inestimable, lifesaving importance.”

“The work of Feldmann and Maini has dramatically transformed the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions and given millions of people new hope,” said Paul Stoffels, M.D., Company Group Chairman, Research & Development, Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson. “The passion with which these two scientists have driven forward translational research reflects the leadership and innovation that defined Dr. Paul. Johnson & Johnson is delighted to honor them with the Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research.”

In addition to winning the 2008 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research, Professors Feldmann and Maini have been widely honored for their work. They have received various prizes including the Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award in 2003 and the Crafoord Prize of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science in 2000.