William C. Campbell, Satoshi Ōmura and Youyou Tu Win Nobel

(Inside Science) -- The 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to William C. Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura “for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites,” and Youyou Tu “for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against malaria.”

The therapies developed by these scientists, including the drugs Avermectin -- a therapy developed by Campbell and Ōmura against onchocerciasis (commonly known as river blindness) and lymphatic filariasis (commonly known as elephantiasis) -- and Artemisinin -- a treatment developed by Tu for malaria – have saved many lives in some of the most vulnerable populations around the world.

Campbell and Ōmura were awarded one half of the prize, and Tu received the other half. Campbell is a native of Ireland with a faculty position at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. Ōmura is a Japanese citizen and emeritus professor at Kitasato University in Tokyo. Tu is a citizen of China and chief professor at the China Academy of Traditional Science Medicine in Beijing.

More details are available at http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/ .

Editor’s Note: Inside Science will provide detailed coverage of the 2015 Nobel Prize in a longer article to be issued later today.