Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Prix Galien Greece 2025: Greece on the Global Health Innovation Map
In the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and leading representatives of the scientific and political communities, the 7th edition of the Prix Galien Greece Awards, known as the “Nobel Prizes” of the pharmaceutical industry, took place.
The internationally renowned event was held on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron), highlighting once again the fundamental role of pharmaceutical innovation and cutting-edge technology in upgrading healthcare services, advancing science, and shaping a sustainable and competitive healthcare system and economy.
“Prix Galien Greece celebrates twelve years of presence in our country as a member of the Galien Foundation, the only global institution dedicated to honoring, highlighting, and rewarding research and innovation in the most important element of human existence: health,” said Jenny Pergialiotou, President of Prix Galien Greece, in her opening remarks.
She added: “Over the past 40 years, life expectancy has increased by 15%, with pharmaceutical innovation, as well as innovative treatment models and tools, playing a decisive role in this progress and significantly improving the management and treatment of diseases that were once considered unimaginable to treat. This achievement is science’s powerful response to obscurantism, research’s response to dogmatism, and evidence’s response to speculation. We congratulate all those who dare to innovate and serve science. They respond to fear and misinformation with the truths revealed by research and evidence.”
During his address, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated:
“It was with great pleasure that I accepted the invitation to attend a celebration honoring both the Greek and international pharmaceutical industries, but above all honoring the pioneers in the development of innovative therapies. This is a sector in which our country aspires to become a dynamic hub for our wider region. Let us not forget that 45 of Europe’s 400 pharmaceutical manufacturing plants are located here, producing 10% of pharmaceutical products.”
Mr. Mitsotakis also referred, among other things, to the government’s initiative to harness the country’s human capital, both within Greece and abroad. He emphasized that Greece’s pharmaceutical industry now employs many scientists who achieved distinction abroad and subsequently returned to Greece, noting that a similar repatriation of highly skilled professionals is being pursued for the National Health System.
In this context, he announced that a significant legislative initiative is expected to be brought before Parliament in the immediate future:
“It concerns the automatic recognition of medical specialties and, consequently, subspecializations acquired by doctors in the United States, provided, of course, that these qualifications remain valid and correspond to positions available in Greece. In this way, a pathway is being created for the repatriation of highly skilled professionals and accredited scientists from the United States who wish to return to their homeland and contribute to the National Health System.”
The Prime Minister emphasized that the 10 new pharmaceutical manufacturing plants and 14 new research centers established over the past five years are creating a new productive ecosystem that will generate increasing added value for the country.
“Many important steps are being taken quietly. Let us not forget that one of the seven AI factories is currently being built in Lavrio, centered around the ‘Daedalus’ supercomputer. This is a critical infrastructure project that can support significant research related to Artificial Intelligence across all sectors. Most importantly, however, it can support research in healthcare, a sector that has also been identified by the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy as one in which our country can truly become a global pioneer,” he said.
The Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiadis, stated, among other things:
“With the creation of the Artificial Intelligence factory, we are acquiring the necessary infrastructure. Combined with the full implementation of the National Electronic Health Record from the beginning of 2026, which will provide us with the necessary data, and under the guidance of the Prime Minister, our vision is for Greece to transform into a country that produces primary knowledge in the field of health. This is our true ambition.
“As for the pharmaceutical industry, an already outstanding success story, particularly in the production of generics, the new era offers the opportunity for Greece to become a hub for the development and production of innovative medicines as well. This is our objective. We are working systematically toward this goal, and in this context, the Prix Galien Awards are truly of great significance.”
The political leadership also referred to initiatives aimed at strengthening the pharmaceutical industry, including the extension of the investment clawback scheme beyond 2026, with additional incentives for research; the creation of a transitional reimbursement fund for new therapies; and the three-year pharmaceutical industry–government cooperation agreement.
Honorary Distinctions
As part of the event, in addition to the competitive awards, six honorary distinctions were presented:
- Galien Scientific Research Award was presented to internationally renowned researcher Vasso Apostolopoulou, Distinguished Professor, PhD, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, Director, Healthy Lifespan and Chronic Diseases Theme, RMIT University, Australia.
The award was presented by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and H.E. the Ambassador of Australia, Alison Duncan.
“Researchers rarely receive a ‘medal.’ Those who are recognized with such distinctions are usually athletes. It is therefore very important to me that today I received a ‘medal’ for my research work,” Ms. Apostolopoulou said, calling on the government and pharmaceutical companies to work together with researchers so that research achievements can be translated into real-world applications and human lives can be saved.
- Pro Bono Humanum Award was presented to the Aegean Team.
The award was presented by Pavlos Christidis, Parliamentary Representative of PASOK-KINAL, and the President of Prix Galien Greece.
“The honorary distinction and recognition bestowed today on the Aegean Team, which for 31 consecutive years has provided voluntary services to the small and remote islands of the Aegean Sea, always in cooperation with the State, gives us the strength to continue tirelessly our mission of offering support and solidarity to our islands,” said Denise Tsimi, President of the Board of the Aegean Team.
- Distinguished Greek Leader of the Global Pharmaceutical Industry Award was presented to Georgios Katzourakis, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Product Strategy Vaccines, GSK.
The award was presented by the Minister of Health and H.E. the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the Hellenic Republic, Matthew Lodge.
“It is with a deep sense of gratitude that I accept this honorary distinction today in my home country. Prix Galien is a prestigious institution that honors excellence, innovation and, above all, the dedication of those who serve healthcare, our most precious asset,” Mr. Katzourakis said, noting that this recognition provides further motivation to continue serving the healthcare sector with the same passion and dedication.
- Pharma for Society Award was presented to VIANEX in recognition of its contribution to healthcare throughout its 100 years of presence in Greece.
The award was presented by Vasso Rafaela Vakouftsi, President of the Hellenic Patients’ Association.
“This award is the result of a century-long journey of VIANEX and our family in the pharmaceutical sector,” said Konstantinos Panagoulias, Vice President of VIANEX, upon receiving the honorary plaque. He referred to the company’s commitments: “The first commitment is to people, whether they are patients, customers, partners or employees of the company. The second commitment is to society as a whole, Greek entrepreneurship and the Greek economy.”
- Research Innovation Award was presented to Pfizer for its Global Center in Thessaloniki.
The award was presented by the Minister of Health and the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, Maria dG Olson.
“This is a very important moment for us, as we are receiving this award for the second time. Pfizer is an organization consistently committed to innovation, with the fundamental goal of improving patients’ lives. At our Thessaloniki Center, in collaboration with Greece’s innovation ecosystem, we are delivering innovations with global impact. We have already established more than 20 collaborations with universities and research centers and, by leveraging Greek talent, we are creating innovations with international reach,” said Nico Gariboldi, VP, Pfizer in Thessaloniki Site Lead & Center for Digital Innovation.
- Innovative Technology Award was presented to Armatura for its cutting-edge Molecular Activation Technology (MAT).
The award was presented by Georgios Chrousos, Academician and Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics and Endocrinology, and Chair of the Prix Galien Greece Jury.
“This award does not simply recognize technological progress; it honors a mission: to serve healthcare with scientific precision and through natural means, for the benefit of humanity. MAT is a truly distinctive innovation. Through this technology, our goal is not to compete, but to support patients and healthcare professionals with natural, scientifically validated solutions that are accessible to all,” said Dimitrios Bourlivas, US Molecular Biologist & Geneticist, MBA, CEO & Founder of Armatura.
Patient Association Awards
- The Patient Initiative Award for the best public awareness and communication campaign was presented jointly to the Hellenic Federation of Cancer (HELLOK) and the Panhellenic Association of Women with Breast Cancer “Alma Zois.”
The awards were presented by Manio Korleti, former President of the “AgaliaZO” Volunteers Against Cancer Group, and Dimitrios Bourlivas, US Molecular Biologist & Geneticist, MBA, CEO & Founder of Armatura.
“A big thank you to the committee for this honor and for giving us this joy. The campaign focuses on breast cancer, which has remained at the center of attention for many years, and we continue our efforts to raise public awareness,” said Georgios Kapetanakis, President of HELLOK, upon receiving the award together with Paraskevi Michalopoulou, President of the Board of “Alma Zois.”
- The Patient Initiative Award for the most effective negotiation with relevant authorities was presented to the Association of Cancer Patients, Volunteers, Friends and Doctors of Athens – K.E.F.I.
The award was presented by Nadia Gogozotou, President of the Medicines Pricing Negotiation Committee and Non-Executive President of EOPYY, and Demetris Zambas, Global Head of Clinical Data Sciences, Clinical Development & Operations, Pfizer.
“We are an association that has been fighting for patients’ rights for 20 years. Following medical intervention and pharmaceutical treatment comes the patient’s everyday life. This is where we intervene, providing information about rights and available services related to quality of life,” said Fotini Christodoulou, Head of Social Services at K.E.F.I.
Pharmaceutical Awards 2025 | Awarding Categories
- Best Pharmaceutical Product: Fezolinetant, by Astellas
- Best Biotechnology Product: RSVPreF3 Antigen (recombinant, adjuvanted vaccine), by GSK
- Best Orphan Disease Treatment: Sotatercept, by MSD
- Best Medical Technology Product: Farapulse™ Pulsed Field Ablation System for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, by Boston Scientific
- Best Nutraceutical Product (new category): VIUSID by ARMATURA and LACTOLEVURE® by UNI-PHARMA