Winners & Finalists

The 2020 National Xconomy Awards Winners & Finalists

The 2020 National Xconomy Awards are open to individuals, companies, and organizations working across the life sciences in the United States, and feature leaders in the biotech industry, medicine, academia, digital health, and healthcare.

Startup of the Year

We’re looking to reward the most inventive and innovative new company to break onto the scene. Nominees can include companies that raised substantial funding, but we’re also looking for scientific advances and creative solutions to the challenges of biology and business. Watch this category’s Meet the Finalists webcast.

Winner:
Dyno Therapeutics

Finalists:
Encoded Therapeutics
Mission Bio
MOMA Therapeutics

Building a Biotech

There’s more to building a successful biotech company than great science. This award aims to recognize the facilities where the innovative science happens, the company culture fostered to help that science thrive, or the incubator that brings all the disparate elements together in an unrivaled atmosphere of invention and innovation. Watch this category’s Meet the Finalists webcast.

Winner:
Ionis Pharmaceuticals

Finalists:
10x Genomics
Kevin Hrusovsky, Quanterix
Lindsay Rosenwald, Fortress Biotech

Secret Weapon

We all have a secret weapon on our team: someone whose accomplishments and impact far exceed the credit they’ve received. Whether it’s an executive, a more junior employee, an advocate, or someone else in your organization or community, we want to give these unsung heroes the recognition they deserve. Watch this category’s Meet the Finalists webcast.

Winner:
Azadeh Golipour & Kim Warren, AVROBIO

Finalists:
Tyler Grant, Lyndra Therapeutics
Kirti Sharma, Kymera Therapeutics
Renee Tannenbaum, Halozyme Therapeutics

Digital Tech Trailblazer

Apps, hardware, mobile devices, big data, and more—the latest advances in digital technologies are transforming not just drug discovery and medicine, but also how patients collect and use their own health data. This award will go to the person, company, or organization that is cleverly navigating the potential for digital tools to improve human health. Watch this category’s Meet the Finalists webcast.

Winner:
Empatica

Finalists:
Connor Landgraf, Eko
Profusa
Recursion

Patients First

Patients have become more empowered in drug development and healthcare, advocating for more R&D, more affordable drugs, and better access to both medicines and personal health data. Patients are also partnering with researchers and companies to make sure their voices are heard. This award will recognize those who have gone above and beyond to prioritize the needs of patients. Watch this category’s Meet the Finalists webcast.

Winner:
Graham Wylie, Medical Research Network

Finalists:
Block Clinical
Patrick Anquetil, Portal Instruments
Michele Rhee, X4 Pharmaceuticals

Ecosystem Development

We’re looking to honor a regional agency, organization, individual, or company that has shown exceptional resourcefulness and accomplishment generating a local environment in which the life science community thrives. Nominees could be from government or the real estate sector, an industry event or networking group, an information-sharing project, or anything else that has contributed to creating a biotech hub or has helped build up a region’s life sciences credentials. Watch this category’s Meet the Finalists webcast.

Winner:
Stanford SPARK

Finalists:
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Deerfield Management Company
Petri

Social Responsibility

We are all charged with a social conscience and so we are rewarding the individual or company that has made a concerted effort to look beyond shareholders to the wider community. Whether is a one-time act of philanthropy or a long-term outreach effort, this award will honor those who have focused on giving back. Outreach efforts honored in the past include programs that have helped the local community, trained and brought in workers with mental health issues, and supported staff and their families with an innovative internal program. We are open to all sorts of ideas whether long or short-term, especially in light of COVID-19. Watch this category’s Meet the Finalists webcast.

Winner:
EMD Serono / Embracing Carers

Finalists:
Samuel Kojo Amaoakohene, Halodine
COTA / Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Horizon Therapeutics / #RAREis Adoption Fund

Big Idea

Revolutions begin with a bold, unique idea. It’s the scientific observation that spawns a new way of making drugs, the creative business strategy that alters the healthcare system, or the tech innovation that promises to improve patient outcomes. We’ll honor the people, companies, and organizations who are advancing transformative ideas. Watch this category’s Meet the Finalists webcast.

Winner:
Nicholas Geisse, Curi Bio

Finalists:
Katy Rezvani, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Seer
SQZ Biotech

Breakthrough Drug of the Year

A breakthrough product, an unexpected secondary indication, an unparalleled level of patient success? We are looking beyond a molecule’s commercial potential to recognize a treatment that has tongues wagging in anticipation in both the industry and society at large. All drugs approved since Jan. 1, 2019 are eligible. Watch this category’s Meet the Finalists webcast.

Winner:
Global Blood Therapeutics / Oxbryta

Finalists:
Acceleron Pharma & Bristol Myers Squibb / Reblozyl
Aimmune Therapeutics / Palforzia
Vertex Pharmaceuticals / Trikafta

Deal of the Year

This award is all about the money, so we are looking at deals, including M&A, collaborations, and licensing partnerships, that have advanced the industry’s aims in an outsize way. Has a financial partner allowed scientists to discover something otherwise forgotten, or a last-minute collaboration saved a candidate from the brink of an unfinanced trial collapse to commercial success? We’re looking to highlight a deal that made a significant difference. Watch this category’s Meet the Finalists webcast.

Winner:
Bristol Myers Squibb & Celgene

Finalists:
Corvidia & Novo Nordisk
Sarepta Therapeutics & Roche

Advance Biotech Grant Award

This award, selected by MilliporeSigma, will present one winner with $250,000 in products and services that help emerging biotech companies face challenges and push the next generation of drugs to market. Two finalists will receive $10,000 each. Watch this category’s Meet the Finalists webcast.

Winner:
Lauren Speciner, Combined Therapeutics

Finalists:
Frank Jing, Tenaya Therapeutics
Tim Pelura, Respana Therapeutics