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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
The Crafoord Prize in Polyarthritis 2025, worth 6 million Swedish kronor, is awarded to Christopher Goodnow, Australia, and David Nemazee, USA. They discovered important mechanisms that prevent B cells from attacking the body’s own tissues in autoimmune disease. Knowledge that could pave the way for new treatments for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis.
Normally, the body’s immune system protects us from viruses, bacteria and foreign substances. However, in autoimmune diseases, the immune system starts attacking tissues in the body instead.
Researchers had long tried to discover the cause of autoimmune diseases. But, Christopher Goodnow and David Nemazee, independently of each other, adopted a new approach. They asked why we do not all develop these diseases. Their focus was on B cells which, together with white blood cells and T cells, are part of the complex immune system.
“They have given us a new and detailed understanding of the mechanisms that normally prevent faulty B cells from attacking tissues in the body, explaining why most of us are not affected by autoimmune diseases,” says Olle Kämpe, member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and chair of the prize committee.
Neutralise B cells
In recent years, physicians have started to experiment by using existing drugs to neutralise B cells for patients with severe autoimmune diseases, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. This has proven to be very effective.
“I have really seen the potential of these treatments. Many of my patients are much better and have improved their quality of life,” says Anders Bengtsson, professor of rheumatology at Lund University and consultant at Skåne University Hospital.
Thanks to this year’s Crafoord Prize Laureates, we have gained fundamental new knowledge about what is happening in the immune system in autoimmune disease. This may also lead to completely new therapies, perhaps even a cure in the future.
“Amazing phone call”
For Christopher Goodnow, the news of the Crafoord Prize came as a wonderful surprise.
“It’s the most amazing phone call of my life! I’m honoured and very happy that the Academy gives this recognition to basic science, providing the foundations for understanding and treating disease. It’s also wonderful to share the prize with David Nemazee. We were friendly competitors working at different places in the world, and the two of us arrived at complementary answers at a time when most working in the field didn’t believe B cell tolerance was a thing,” he says.
You can find a short video about this years prize possible to embed and photos of the Laureates at www.kva.se
Olle Kämpe, Professor of Clinical Endocrinology at Karolinska Institutet, member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and chair of the Crafoord Prize Committee in Polyarthritis:
olle.kampe@ki.se
+46-70-815 14 00
Anders Bengtsson, Professor of Rheumatology at Lund University and consultant at Skåne University Hospital:
anders.bengtsson@med.lu.se
+46-46-17 71 47
https://www.kva.se/en/prizes/crafoord-prize/
https://www.garvan.org.au/people/researchers/christopher-goodnow
https://www.scripps.edu/faculty/nemazee/
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