Phacilitate Advanced Therapies Award recognizes innovations in the field of advanced therapies. The judging process involved a two-phase evaluation by an international panel of experts representing research institutions, universities, and the biotechnology industry. Established in 2023, the award was initially presented to Carl June for his contributions to cellular therapy with CAR-T.

Naldini expressed his gratitude upon receiving the award, stating, “I am grateful to my mentors and fantastic colleagues, as well as excellent students who have accompanied me on this extraordinary journey from the lab bench to the patient’s bedside, spanning nearly three decades, sharing inspiration, challenges, frustrations, and, finally, successes. I will continue to work with renewed energy and enthusiasm in the pursuit of gene and cell therapy solutions for the many patients in need of innovative treatments for diseases once deemed fatal.”

Sven Kili, president of the Phacilitate award jury, remarked, “Professor Naldini perfectly embodies the concept of an ‘innovator.’ His unwavering dedication in developing therapies for the benefit of patients has driven him and his team to not be discouraged by early setbacks but instead to develop better and increasingly safer therapies. Without his dedication and perseverance, gene therapy would not be at the stage it is today, capable of changing the lives of patients with approved drugs for genetic diseases such as ADA-SCID and metachromatic leukodystrophy.”