Awardee
Richard DiMarchi
Richard DiMarchi is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences at Indiana University. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Dr. DiMarchi served as a Group Vice President at Eli Lilly and later at Novo Nordisk.
He is recognized for his contributions to the discovery and development of rDNA-derived Humulin®, Humalog®, rGlucagon®, and Forteo®. His academic research has broadened the understanding of glucagon and incretin physiology and pioneered the discovery of single molecule multi-mechanism agonists for the treatment of diabetes and obesity.
The central element to success has been the chemical vision and technology to install within single molecules simultaneous agonism, related G-protein-coupled receptors, coupled to the counter-intuitive discovery that glucagon and GIP agonism could synergize the therapeutic efficacy of GLP-1. These peptides and the conceptual approach have transformed the management of excessive body weight to a condition comparable to how hypertension, adult-onset diabetes, and excess cholesterol are medicinally managed.
Recognizing Excellence
"Professor DiMarchi was recognized by the 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members as being an exceptional leader in the medicinal chemistry of peptides and proteins of natural origin, and as a pioneer in the field of chemical biotechnology. His very important discoveries have led to breakthroughs in new drugs related to the therapy of diabetes and obesity. He has been named as an inventor on a very large number of patents, and he has had initially a highly successful scientific and administrative career in industry, which was followed by over two decades in academia as a distinguished professor."-Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee