US and UK Prix Galien awards 2008, winners announced

The Prix Galien for Innovation, which is awarded in 11 countries, has announced winners in the USA and the UK in separate ceremonies held in New York and London. Ironically, the host of the UK event was Sir Michael Rawlins, the Chairman of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), who announced the commendation of US drug major Wyeth's Torisel (temsirolimus) in the Orphan Drug category, despite the agent not being available to National Health Service patients, under the NICE's guidance (Marketletter August 11).

Vignesh Rajah, Wyeth's medical director in the UK, said: "Wyeth is honored to receive this commendation," paying tribute to the firm's researchers. He added: "disappointingly, despite receiving this recognition at Prix Galien, Torisel may not be available to patients in the UK. [The] NICE's recent draft guidance on the use of Torisel and other new kidney cancer drugs, if implemented, will mean these new treatments will not be recommended for use by the NHS."