In memory of the industrial pharmacist and drug researcher Friedrich Stolz (see e.g. Pharmazeutische Zeitung 2010, 42) and his forward-looking innovative strength, the Medical Chemistry Division of the German Chemical Society (GDCh) and the Pharmaceutical/Medical Chemistry Division of the German Pharmaceutical Society (DPhG) have been awarding the Friedrich Stolz Prize since 2022. The prize is awarded in even-numbered years to an individual or team from industry and in odd-numbered years to one from academia. It honours exceptional commitment, scientific discoveries or innovative technologies with proven relevance that contribute to substantial therapeutic innovation or sustainable development and go beyond early stages of research. The award includes an award certificate, prize money of 5,000 euros donated by the specialist groups, a lecture at the "Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry" conference and two further lectures at one university and one industrial location within Germany.

A committee consisting of six people decides on the awarding of the prize: two board members of the GDCh specialist group (chair/vice chair), two board members of the DPhG specialist group and two "external" persons; if possible, one person per group should come from the university sector and one from the industry sector.

The prize has not yet been announced.

At FiMC 2025 in Erlangen, Prof. Dr Stefan Laufer was honoured with the Friedrich Stolz Prize 2025 in recognition of his lifetime scientific achievements in the field of drug research:

"His research activities are highly translational - they range from the identification of new target structures to their clinical application, from the laboratory to the patient. As the inventor of more than two clinical drugcandidates that reached Phase Ib/II and as the founding father of TüCAT, he has made significant contributions to drug development. He has presented his research in over 700 internationally recognised and highly cited publications. Stefan Laufer is not only an outstanding scientist, but also an entrepreneur who has secured funding for research projects and biotechnology companies by successfully raising venture capital. He is exceptionally committed to the national and international scientific community - as a scientist, teacher and lecturer. For many years he was President of the DPhG and Editor of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. Stefan Laufer built up scientific networks in industry and research - from Germany and the USA to Egypt and Brazil. As a teacher and mentor, he had a lasting influence on and promoted the next generation of medicinal chemists in industry and science."

Prize Committee 2025: Gunda Georg (DPhG), Gerhard Heßler (GDCh), Christa Müller (extern/Academia),
Franz von Nussbaum (extern/Industry, Chair), Tatjana Ross (GDCh), Bernhard Wünsch (DPhG)

At the Frontiers in Medicinial Chemistry 2024 conference in Munich,Novartis team Christopher Adams, Rajeshri Karki, Nello Mainolfi and Stefanie Flohr in recognition of their outstanding research contributions, which led to the development of LNP023 (Iptacopan), as well as the Merck team Dr Oliver Schadt, Dr Dieter Dorothee Schadt and Dr Dr Dr Dr Dr Dr Dr Dr Dr Dr Dr Dr Dr Dr. Oliver Schadt, Dr Dieter Dorsch and Dr Frank Stieber with the Friedrich Stolz Prize 2024 in recognition of their work on the discovery of the MET inhibitor tepotinib.

Novartis team: "This highly active, orally bioavailable inhibitor of serine protease factor B (fB) was discovered using modern screening methods and a subsequent consistent investigation of the structure-activity relationship. In clinical studies, it has shown excellent efficacy in various indications such as paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria, a life-threatening genetic disorder of the blood count. Other kidney diseases such as IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) are also being investigated. The team has thus carried out outstanding pioneering work for a new target class, making its biological potential accessible to important patient groups in various indications."

Merck team: "The excellent medicinal chemistry work led to the approval of Tepmetko®, the world's first inhibitor for the treatment of advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with METex14 skipping alteration. The structural starting points in this research project were identified in a high-throughput screen. In the course of structure-assisted drug optimisation, the medicinal chemistry team led by Dr Dieter Dorsch, Dr Oliver Schadt and Dr Frank Stieber successfully optimised the complex profile of the lead structures using multiparametric methods, with the result that tepotinib was identified as an innovative clinical trial compound in 2009. In 2019, Tepmetko® achieved marketing authorisation. The performance, resilience and innovative strength of the team impressively demonstrates the key role that medicinal chemistry plays in researching new therapeutic options in oncology."

Prize Committee 2024: Dr Gerhard Heßler (GDCh), Dr Tatjana Ross (GDCh), Prof. Dr Stefan Laufer (DPhG), Prof. Dr Bernhard Wünsch (DPhG), Dr. Franz von Nussbaum (external; chair) and Prof. Dr Christa Müller (external)

At the FiMC 2023 in Vienna, Prof. Dr Rolf Hartmann was honoured with the Friedrich Stolz Prize 2023 in recognition of his scientific lifetime achievement in the field of rational drug design.

"The award-winning interdisciplinary work is based on innovative design, synthesis and, in most cases, a complete and comprehensive biophysical, biochemical and pharmacological evaluation in his own working group. Due to his outstanding medicinal chemistry work, Prof Dr Hartmann succeeded in developing highly active and selective inhibitors of steroid biosynthesis. The propagation and validation of four new targets opened up the development of essential drugs for the treatment of cancer and led to three successful company foundations. Equally ground-breaking is the development of pathoblockers as a new approach to the antimicrobial resistance crisis.

The performance, innovative strength and successful translation clearly demonstrate the key role of medicinal chemistry in researching fundamental pharmacological principles and how medicinal chemistry can work for the benefit of patients."

Prize Committee 2023: Dr Ingo Hartung (external), Prof. Dr Stefan Laufer (DPhG), Prof. Dr Peter H. Seeberger (external; Chair), Prof. Dr Holger Stark (GDCh; substitute for Prof Dr Anna Hirsch), Dr. Franz von Nussbaum (GDCh), Prof Dr Bernhard Wünsch (DPhG),

No participation due to bias: Prof Dr Anna Hirsch (GDCh)

The Friedrich Stolz Prize was awarded for the first time on 16 March 2022 at the online FiMC 2022 to Prof. Dr Joachim Mittendorf, Dr Markus Follmann and Dr Michael Hahn (Bayer AG) in recognition of their work on the discovery of modulators of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC).

"The award-winning work initially enabled the validation of sGC as a highly relevant cardiovascular target with early lead structures and first clinical candidates. The active substances riociguat and vericiguat - both sGC stimulators - were successfully approved as drugs based on the work of Prof Dr Joachim Mittendorf and Dr Markus Follmann. Riociguat is used today for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, vericiguat for the treatment of chronic heart failure. Based on Dr Michael Hahn's work, sGC activators are now in advanced clinical trials in addition to the sGC stimulators mentioned above. Runcaciguat, for example, is being tested as a treatment option for chronic kidney disease.
The team's performance and innovation is a powerful demonstration of the key role that medicinal chemistry can play in the exploration of fundamental pharmacological principles and how medicinal chemistry can work for the benefit of patients."

Prize Committee 2022: Prof. Dr Anna Hirsch (GDCh), Prof. Dr Stefan Laufer (DPhG), Prof. Dr Christa Müller (DPhG), Prof. Dr Peter H. Seeberger (external; chair)

No participation due to bias: Dr Ingo Hartung (external), Dr Franz von Nussbaum (GDCh)