Scientists Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman from Hungary and the United States respectively won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for
discoveries enabling the development of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, the award-giving body said on Monday.
The prize, among the most prestigious in the scientific world, is selected by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden's Karolinska Institute medical university and also
comes with 11 million Swedish crowns (about £823,500).
"The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications
that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19," the body said.
Kariko was senior vice president and head of RNA protein replacement at BioNTech until 2022 and has since acted as an adviser to the company. She is also a professor
at the University of Szeged in Hungary and adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.
Weissman is professor in vaccine research at the Perelman School.