On Thursday, January 9th, Olivier Laureau, alongside Sydney Toledano, President of the Pasteur-Weizmann Council, presented the 8th Pasteur-Weizmann/Servier Prize to Professor Valérie Cormier-Daire for her work on the treatment for rare bone anomalies in children. Valérie Cormier-Daire is a researcher and clinical geneticist, head of the Genomic Medicine Department for Rare Diseases at Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, and leads a research team at the Imagine Institute.
This year, the international prize was dedicated to rare childhood diseases.
It is estimated that between 150-225 million children live with a rare disease worldwide1. Some of the most well-known include osteogenesis imperfecta or “brittle bone disease,” cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and Sanfilippo syndrome.
The innovative work of Professor Valérie Cormier-Daire and her teams has been highly praised, along with her major advancements in understanding and treating rare childhood diseases. Her research has opened up new and promising perspectives for improving the care of young patients suffering from these complex and often debilitating conditions.
“This prize is the collective recognition of joint efforts by researchers, physicians, and families to offer a better future to children with rare diseases.”
Prof. Valérie Cormier-Daire
In his closing speech, Olivier Laureau paid tribute to researchers and clinicians. He emphasized the crucial role of scientific research in transforming the lives of children with rare diseases: “Medical research is about giving the best of oneself to improve and save lives, and that is the most beautiful thing.”
About the Pasteur-Weizmann/Servier Prize:
Since 2003 L’Institut Servier has partnered with the Institut Pasteur/Weizmann Institute of Sciences Council to award the Pasteur-Weizmann/Servier International Prize (250,000 euros) to a researcher, a medical doctor or a scientist for major contribution to a biomedical discovery determining a major therapeutic application.
The objective of the prize is to promote and encourage fundamental research, in particular the transition from laboratory research to medical therapy. Founded in 1999, L’Institut Servier is a non-profit association under French law.
[1] Source: Nguengang Wakap, S., Lambert, D.M., Olry, A. et al. Estimating cumulative point prevalence of rare diseases: analysis of the Orphanet database.