A treatment for a rare and aggressive form of leukaemia has earned three scientists one of Hong Kong's most prestigious academic awards. The Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine was awarded to Dr. John Kappler, Dr. Philippa Marrack, and Dr. Tak W. Mak for their work on a therapy that targets acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in patients with a specific genetic mutation.
A therapy built on decades of immune system research
The three laureates were recognized for discoveries that helped turn the body's own immune defenses against cancer cells. Kappler and Marrack, both based in the United States, spent years mapping how T cells recognize and attack threats. Mak, a Canadian immunologist, identified key genetic pathways that cancer cells use to survive. Together, their work laid the foundation for a new class of drugs called bispecific T cell engagers. One such drug, blinatumomab, is now used to treat patients with B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia who carry the Philadelphia chromosome mutation.
Why this matters to patients and doctors in Hong Kong
The Shaw Prize, established in 2002, awards $1.2 million per category and is often called the Nobel of the East. The award ceremony took place in Hong Kong, where the prize is administered by the Shaw Prize Foundation. Local medical researchers and oncologists have followed the development of this therapy closely. For patients in Hong Kong with this rare leukaemia subtype, the treatment offers a targeted option where chemotherapy alone often fails. The prize highlights how basic research into the immune system can lead directly to drugs that save lives.
What the therapy actually does
Blinatumomab works by acting as a bridge between a patient's T cells and their cancer cells. It binds to both at the same time, forcing the immune system to recognize and destroy the malignant cells. Clinical trials showed that the drug could put patients into remission even after other treatments had stopped working. The therapy is not a cure for everyone, but it has become a standard option for certain high risk patients.
The three scientists will share the prize money and the recognition that comes with it. Their work, conducted over decades in labs thousands of miles apart, converged on a single insight: the immune system can be trained to finish what it started.
