America’s Premier Medical Prize: The 2026 Lasker Award Winners Announced
The Lasker Foundation has revealed the recipients of the 2026 Lasker Awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in basic medical research, clinical science, and public service. This year’s honorees include researchers who made pivotal advances in understanding sleep disorders and developing treatments for hemophilia, alongside actor Michael J. Fox, celebrated for his advocacy in Parkinson’s disease. The awards ceremony is scheduled for September 17 in New York City.
2026 Lasker Award Recipients
In the category of fundamental medical research, the award was presented to:
- Dr. Emmanuel Mignot from Stanford University
- Masashi Yanagisawa of the University of Tsukuba
Their discovery of orexins in the brain—neurochemicals whose deficiency causes narcolepsy—paved the way for a new class of medications that effectively treat sleep disorders and insomnia.
The clinical research award recognized the efforts of:
- Kunihiro Hattori
- Takehisa Kitazawa
- Tomoyuki Igawa from Chugai Pharmaceutical Company
They developed emicizumab, an antibody that mimics the missing blood clotting factor, offering a groundbreaking treatment for severe hemophilia A. This therapy is now used in over 100 countries worldwide.
Actor Michael J. Fox received the public service award in recognition of his relentless advocacy after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 29. Since 2000, his foundation has invested more than $3 billion into Parkinson’s research. Each Lasker Award comes with a $250,000 prize.
Regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in medical science, the Lasker Awards often spotlight future Nobel laureates. By celebrating these transformative contributions to disease treatment, the awards emphasize the critical role of innovation and research in improving patient outcomes. The public service award also highlights the importance of health activism and raises awareness about the challenges faced by individuals living with chronic illnesses.