New York and Stockholm – November 09, 2026 -- The Galien Foundation has named 45 nominees and products for the 2026 Prix Galien Bridges Awards and chosen HealthCap founder Björn Odlander as recipient of the Bengt I. Samuelsson "True North" Award. The ceremony takes place December 1, 2026, at the Medicinska Föreningen at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.
Awards span seven categories from drugs to public sector innovation
Nominees compete in seven categories: Best Pharmaceutical Agent, Best Biotechnology Product, Best Product for Rare/Orphan Diseases, Best Medical Technology / AI Advances in Human Health, Best Enabling Technology for Medical Innovation, Best Public Sector Innovation and Best Bridge-Builder Institution.
Candidates must show a significant advancement or novel approach that meaningfully improves patient outcomes, healthcare delivery or scientific understanding. Eligible innovations must exemplify the Nordic innovation ecosystem or foster collaboration with Austria, Israel, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Judges also weigh the potential to influence future scientific development, establish new paradigms or create platforms for continued progress in life sciences.
Foundation links the Nordics with five partner countries
Through the Prix Galien Bridges initiative, the foundation connects the Nordic region with those five partner countries, together forming the Nordics+ ecosystem. The stated aim is to strengthen the science base, attract investment in breakthrough therapeutics and accelerate health innovation through cross-border partnerships.
The ceremony follows the Prix Galien Bridges Forum, held earlier the same day at the Nobel Forum. This year's forum theme, "More/Better Life? Wisdom Beyond the Hype," examines how a region with some of the world's oldest populations, richest health registries and strongest prevention cultures should respond to longevity science. Questions include what the science can credibly deliver, who should benefit from regional health data, and where the Nordics+ should lead and invest.
HealthCap's Odlander receives the "True North" Award
Odlander, MD, PhD, co-founded Stockholm-based venture capital firm HealthCap in 1996. The firm invests globally in life sciences and, according to the foundation, has helped bring numerous new medicines and medical technologies to patients worldwide. He trained as a physician and researched the biochemistry of inflammation in Professor Samuelsson's laboratory at Karolinska Institutet. The award honors scientific rigor, humility and mentorship.
Mikael Dolsten, MD, PhD, Chair of the Prix Galien Bridges Committee, said the nominees range from rare-disease treatments to tools that improve whole health systems, from single labs to intercontinental collaborations.
Ten-member committee draws on academia, industry and research institutes
The 2026 committee includes María José Alonso of the University of Santiago de Compostela, Alon Chen, President of the Weizmann Institute of Science, and John-Arne Røttingen, CEO of Wellcome. Other members are Erik Renström, Vice Chancellor of Lund University, Veronika Sexl, Rector of the University of Innsbruck, and Kári Stefansson, founder of deCODE genetics. Dolsten chairs the committee and sits on the boards of SOBI, Agilent Technologies and Rocket Pharmaceuticals, among others.
The foundation launched the inaugural Prix Galien Bridges Forum and Awards Ceremony in Stockholm in 2025. The Prix Galien now operates through 18 chapters spanning more than 75 countries, with expansion underway in China, Singapore and Australia.