The IUPAC–Richter Prize in Medicinal Chemistry has been established in 2005 by a generous gift from the Chemical Works of Gedeon Richter, Plc. (Budapest, Hungary) to acknowledge the key role that medicinal chemistry plays toward improving human health. The prize is to be awarded to an internationally recognized scientist, preferably a medicinal chemist, whose activities or published accounts have made an outstanding contribution to the practice of medicinal chemistry or the discovery of one or more new drugs.
Awarded biannually, the awardee is announced by IUPAC following nominations and the decision of an indepedent international Selection Committee. According to the rules of the prize the awardee is expected to give two lectures, one in Europe and one in the United States, at international symposiums on medicinal chemistry. The lecture in which the prize is awarded occurs alternatively in Europe and in the United States. The awardee receives $ 10 000, which is sponsored by Gedeon Richter Plc, and a plaque, which is presented by IUPAC.
Applicants are received by NOMINATION only, with just one person needing to serve in that capacity, although a total of five (5) individuals should be listed as referees overall. The submission should contain
a complete resume,
a professional autobiography of not more than two pages, and
a one-page summary of what the individual considers to be his/her activities, accomplishments and/or publications that have had the most significant impact upon the field of Medicinal Chemistry.
The material will be forwarded confidentially to an independent selection committee appointed by the IUPAC Subcommittee on Drug Discovery and Development.
> See 2024 Announcement
Awardees
 | 2006 : Malcolm FG Stevens (UK) Discovery of medicine for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme announcement published in Chem. Int. Sep 2006, p.18; https://doi.org/10.1515/ci.2006.28.5.18a |
 | 2008: Jan Heeres (Belgium) Discovery of antifungal drugs announcement published in Chem. Int. July 2008, p. 20 |
 | 2010: Arun Ghosh (USA) Discovery of medicine for the treatment of AIDS announcement published in Chem. Int. May 2010, p. 14 |
 | 2012: Stephen Hanessian (Canada) Chiron Approach for the synthesis of chiral compounds announcement published in Chem. Int. May 2012, p. 19 |
 | 2014 : Helmut Buschmann (Germany) Discovery of a new analgesic drug announcement published in Chem. Int. May 2014, p. 11; https://doi.org/10.1515/ci.2014.36.3.11a |
 | 2016: Michael Sofia (USA) Discovery of medicine for curing hepatitis C announcement published in Chem. Int. May 2016, p. 27; News posted 2 Mar 2016 |
 | 2018: Peter Grootenhuis (USA) Discovery of medicine for the treatment of cystic fibrosis News posted 23 Jan 2018 |
 | 2020: John Macor (USA) Discovery of new medicines for the treatment of migraine News posted 22 Jan 2020 |
 | 2022 : Michael E. Jung (USA) Discovery of new drugs for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer News posted 17 Jan 2022 |
 | 2024 : Craig M. Crews (USA) Discovery and implementation of the PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) technology News posted 31 Jan 2024 |
Gedeon Richter Plc. (www.richter.hu), headquartered in Budapest, Hungary, is a major pharmaceutical company in Central Eastern Europe, with an expanding direct presence in Western Europe, China and Latin America. Having reached a market capitalisation of EUR 3.2 billion (USD 3.6 billion) by the end of 2018, Richter’s consolidated sales were approximately EUR 1.4 billion (USD 1.6 billion) during that year. The product portfolio of Richter covers many important therapeutic areas, including Women’s Healthcare, Neuroscience and Cardiovascular medicine. Having the largest R&D unit in Central Eastern Europe and building upon its original focus in CNS disorders and its widely acknowledged steroid chemistry expertise, Richter has also become a significant player in the Women’s Healthcare field worldwide. Richter is also active in biosimilar product development.