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Researchers honored for early identification of

erythropoietin and its landmark role in renal medicine

Brussels, Belgium – 29 March 2005

  The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2005

Amgen International Prize for Therapeutic Advancement in Nephrology. 

Joseph W. Eschbach, M.D. of the University of Washington in Seattle, WA, USA  and Eugene Goldwasser, PhD of the University of Chicago Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Chicago, IL, USA will receive $50.000 (US) for their fundamental contributions in the identification of erythropoietin and its therapeutic use in the correction of anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease, resulting in a markedly improved quality of life. The prestigious prize will be presented on June 30 during ISN?s World Congress of Nephrology in Singapore (June 26-30, 2005).

The ISN Amgen International Prize for Therapeutic Advancement in Nephrology, which is awarded every other year,  was established in 2003 by Amgen to recognize those who have increased the understanding and treatment of kidney disease through basic or clinical scientific research, leading to therapeutic advances.

“Amgen is delighted that the ISN has recognized the seminal contributions of Joseph Eschbach and Eugene Goldwasser with the 2005 Amgen International Prize for Therapeutic Advancement in Nephrology. The identification of erythropoietin and its application as clinical therapy represents a landmark achievement in the history of renal medicine, and has improved the lives of millions of patients worldwide,” said Robert Brenner, Senior Director, Medical Affairs, Amgen, Inc. 

With erythropoietin now routinely prescribed ? at least in healthcare systems that can afford it ? it is hard to recall the sufferings of patients prior to its identification, when severe anemia was universal. ?It is vital for the ISN to encourage research and scientific advances that ultimately improve patients? lives,? said Prof. Jan J. Weening, President of the International Society of Nephrology and Head of the Department of Pathology at the Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.?We are very grateful to Amgen for the opportunity to honor the achievements of Profs. Goldwasser and Eschbach, scientist and clinical investigator respectively.?

Profs. Eschbach and Goldwasser were unanimously selected from amongst 11 outstanding international nominations by ISN?s Advisory Committee chaired by John Dirks (Toronto, Canada) and consisting of experts from around the world: Bernard Rossier (Lausanne, Switzerland), Andy Rees (Aberdeen, UK), Kiyoshi Kurokawa (Tokyo, Japan) and Qais Awqati (New York, NY, USA). 

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