Revolutionary cancer therapy: Broermann Award for CAR-T cells!

Revolutionary cancer therapy: Broermann Award for CAR-T cells!

On September 19, 2025, Dr. Carl June and Dr. Michel Sadelain received the renowned Broermann Medical Innovation Award. This award, which is endowed with one million euros, is one of the most valuable medical prizes in the world and recognizes outstanding achievements in cancer research. The award ceremony took place in the Hessian State Chancellery in Wiesbaden under the patronage of the Hessian Prime Minister Boris Rhein. Both scientists were recognized for their pioneering work in CAR T-cell therapy.

Dr. Carl June is a professor of immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania. The immunologist is considered a leader in research into the genetic manipulation of T cells, a technique that makes it possible to specifically attack cancer cells. Dr. Michel Sadelain is director of the Columbia Initiative in Cell Engineering and Therapy (CICET). Together they have made crucial advances in the field of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), which enable T cells to recognize and destroy cancer cells.

Pioneering work in the fight against cancer cells

CAR T-cell therapy, which is the focus of June and Sadelain's work, shows high success rates in the treatment of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Other types of cancer are currently being tested. The therapy combines cell, gene and immunotherapy and offers hope for patients with serious diseases that do not respond to other treatments.

A central component of this therapy involves taking T cells from the patient's white blood cells and genetically modifying them to form chimeric antigen receptors. These modified cells are propagated in the laboratory and then given back to the patient via infusion. A single CAR T cell has the potential to destroy up to 1,000 tumor cells, making it particularly successful in B-cell tumors with the surface protein CD19.

Recognition and appreciation

The Broermann Medical Innovation Award was presented in 2024 by Dr. Bernard major Broermann launched it. The award recognizes exceptional scientific achievements and is intended to promote further research in medical innovation. The award is given by a jury made up of nine members from renowned institutes, which examines nominations in a multi-stage process. This procedure ensures both scientific quality and independence in awarding the prize.

After the award ceremony, Michel Sadelain expressed great gratitude for the impact of her research on cancer treatment and the hope it offers patients. Considering the 162 CAR T-cell therapies currently in clinical development worldwide, including 56 that target CD19, it is clear that June and Sadelain's work is leading the way for the future of oncology.