Bayer receives award from German president

Bayer has been awarded the Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2009 prize, due to the efforts of its research and development team, it has emerged.

Dr Frank Misselwitz, Dr Elisabeth Perzborn and Dr Dagmar Kubitza received the prize for their achievements in technology and innovation from the German federal president Horst Kohler in Berlin.

The Bayer scientists were given the accolade for their development of the new anticoagulant drug rivaroxaban (Xarelto).

Along with their teams, the three scientists have developed rivaroxaban – a new molecule for the prevention and treatment of thromboembolism.

Werner Wenning, chairman of the board of management of Bayer, commented: “The Deutscher Zukunftspreis is the highest innovation award in Germany [and] ensures that the potential of science, technology and medicine become more firmly anchored in the public consciousness.”

Last week, Bayer revealed that it has instigated a study into its Alzheimer’s disease diagnostic therapy Florbetaben, which aims to evaluate the treatment’s efficacy and safety.