SMR AWARD FOR DRUG DISCOVERY

The Society for Medicines Research believe that outstanding contributions, achievements and inventions in the world of drug discovery and development should be recognised and celebrated. To achieve this goal the SMR instigated its own symbol of recognition, the SMR Award for Drug Discovery. Recipients are individual scientists, or teams of scientists, duly acknowledged for their contribution by the scientific community. The multidisciplinary nature of the achievement is inherent in this award. With members from all disciplines of drug research, we are proud to recognise the successes of others in order to help the individuals and their host institution gain the reward and acclaim they deserve from within the pharmaceutical world. There are still very few prizes of this kind in the drug discovery area and we believe that the multidisciplinary nature of the SMR adds to the recognition status of this award, making it significantly different from those awards that recognise achievements within a single discipline. Until 2001, the Award recognised only those contributions emanating from within the UK. With increasing globalisation of R&D and the SMR increasing its popularity throughout the world by attracting international speakers at scientific meetings, and through the broadcasting of archive web-casts of its meetings, this UK-only position was believed to be unsustainable. Thus, beginning in 2003, the Award was made open to non-UK scientists.

SMR Award recipents 2025

The Society for Medicines Research presented the 2025 Award for Drug Discovery to lenacapavir (Gilead Sciences) in recognition of its innovation and impact.

The Award was presented by current SMR Chair, Dr Daniel O Donovan, and accepted by Dr Eda Canales and Dr Stephen Yant, representing the team behind lenacapavir, a first-in-class, long-acting capsid inhibitor with a novel mechanism of action enabling twice-yearly dosing for people living with or at risk of HIV.

Representatives from Gilead gave a presentation on the discovery and development of lenacapavir and shared reflections on its potential as a transformative medicine.

Past recipients of the SMR Award