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European Inventor of the Year Awards 2007: Biodegradable plastics, vehicle safety, medicinal breakthroughs

The inventors of biodegradable plastics, the airbag’s sensor technology, anti-Aids drugs and treatments for autoimmune disorders are the winners of the European Inventor of the Year 2007 awards. The Bosch Process, for instance, paved the way for the life-saving airbag, while Crixivan, a protease inhibitor, has revolutionised HIV treatment. Catia Bastoli became the first female award-winner for inventing biodegradable plastics obtained from starch, a renewable raw material. The award in the Lifetime Achievement category went to Professor Marc Feldmann, who identified the role of cytokines in the treatment of autoimmune disorders. Günter Verheugen, Vice-President of the Commission, and Alain Pompidou, President of the European Patent Office, paid tribute to the winners in the presence of 600 guests during a ceremonial gala held this evening at Munich’s International Congress Centre. 

Brussels/Munich, 18 April 2007 -- In the words of Günter Verheugen, EU Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry: "All today's award winners came up with pioneering inventions which are evidence of Europe's innovative strength, which is the basis of Europe´s competitiveness. Therefore, promoting innovation ranks at the top of our priorities to create growth and jobs. At the same time, today´s awards are helping us to meet crucial challenges facing our society."

According to EPO President Alain Pompidou: "The inventors we are honouring not only have outstanding creative achievements to their names, but have also highlighted the usefulness of patent protection for inventions. The European patent system plays a central role in the promotion of innovation in Europe. That is why it is important to take appropriate steps to make that system even more effective and cost-efficient. In this the European Patent Office supports the initiatives of the European Commission".

Awards went this year to outstanding scientists whose pioneering inventions have revolutionised environmental technology, healthcare/medicine and automotive engineering. The following winners, selected by an international jury, received their trophies from Günter Verheugen and Alain Pompidou:

• Industry: Dr Franz Lärmer and Andrea Urban (Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart/Germany) for the Bosch Process, which has revolutionised sensor technology and made possible, among other things, the life-saving airbag.
• SMEs: Dr Catia Bastoli and team (Novamont S.p.a., Novara/Italy) for inventing biodegradable plastics obtained from starch, a renewable raw material. These plastics are used worldwide, for instance in eco-friendly refuse bags.
• Non-European countries: Dr Joseph P. Vacca and team (Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA/USA) for inventing Crixivan, a protease inhibitor which has revolutionised HIV treatment worldwide.
• Lifetime achievement: Professor Marc Feldmann (Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, London/GB) for identifying the role of cytokines in the treatment of autoimmune disorders (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis) and finding a treatment which has helped millions of people all over the world.

European Inventor of the Year: the background

The European Inventor of the Year awards have been presented jointly by the European Patent Office and the EU Commission since 2006. They are intended to reward inventors and innovations whose contribution to technical progress in Europe and beyond has been significant and lasting and has thus also helped strengthen Europe's economy. Teams and individuals are eligible in four categories: industry, small and medium-sized enterprises, non-European countries and lifetime achievement. The prize is purely symbolic and does not involve any pecuniary or other recompense. By virtue of their geographical scope and the nature of the selection process, the European Inventor of the Year awards are unique in Europe. The jury selects the finalists, and then the winners, from a list submitted by the EPO's 3 500 patent examiners. The nine independent members of the jury are internationally acknowledged experts from research organisations and industry.

Further information about the European Inventor of the Year 2007 awards can be found at: www.european-inventor.org .

Annex: Information about the award winners

For more information please contact:

European Commission:

Ton van Lierop
+32/2/ 296 65 65

Catherine Bunyan
+32/2/299 65 12

European Patent Office:

Rainer Osterwalder
+49/89/2399-1820
press@epo.org