NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Delaware BioScience Association (Delaware Bio) hosted its 2012 Annual Awards Gala on April 16 at the DuPont Country Club, Wilmington, DE. Over 300 academic, government, and industry leaders gathered to celebrate the achievements of Delaware-based Incyte Corporation and three individuals who have made significant contributions to the state's bioscience community.
Incyte Corporation was honored with Delaware Bio's Company of the Year Award. President and CEO Paul A. Friedman, M.D., accepted the award; presented by U.S. Sen. Tom Carper. Incyte's Jakafi™ is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis, a potentially life-threatening blood cancer.
Noureddine Melikechi, D.Phil., Dean, College of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology, Delaware State University, received the Academic Research Award for his work in applied optics and laser spectroscopy. Presenting the award was Brian A. Pryor, President, LiteCure LLC.
Charles W. Robertson, Jr., Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, of the former NanoDrop Technologies, Inc., accepted the Innovation Award. ThermoFisher acquired NanoDrop in 2007 and continues to manufacture the NanoDrop family of instrumentation for testing biological samples used in numerous research and manufacturing applications. The Innovation Award was presented by Lynne Kielhorn, Co-founder of NanoDrop.
J. Michael Bowman, Chairman and President, Delaware Technology Park, received the Service Award, presented by David S. Weir, Director, Office of Economic Innovation & Partnerships, University of Delaware. Mr. Bowman has nurtured many successful companies in the Park and throughout Delaware and supported efforts to locate large bioscience and other technology operations in the state.
Delaware State Rep. Joseph E. Miro, District 22-Pike Creek Valley, on behalf of the State of Delaware’s House of Representatives, officially recognized Dr. Friedman and Incyte Corporation as well as Messrs. Robertson and Bowman. Delaware State Rep. Daryl M. Scott, District 31-Dover, officially recognized Dr. Melikechi. Also in attendance were Sen. Brian J. Bushweller, District 17-Kent Central, and Rep. Stephanie T. Bolden, District 2-Wilmington Central.
Featured speakers for the evening included U.S. Sen. Carper, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, and Alan Levin, Secretary, Delaware Economic Development Office.
The 2012 Delaware Bio Annual Awards Gala was made possible through generous sponsorships from VWR Scientific, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, Fish & Richardson, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), Conner Strong & Buckelew, RatnerPrestia, McCarter & English, Black Stallion Machine Works, and Armor Graphics.
About the Delaware BioScience Association:
Delaware Bio is a non-profit trade association that serves its members and the State of Delaware by collaborating with other local businesses and organizations to advance the growth of the bioscience industry in Delaware and the region. To learn more about Delaware Bio, please visit www.delawarebio.org.