Pierre Fabre Dermatologie Receives the Prix Galien Award for Pharmaceutical Research for Hemangiol

Each year, the Prix Galien award distinguishes recent therapeutic innovations, made available to the public. It is conferred after an evaluation by an independent panel of experts and eminent specialists.

Pierre Fabre Dermatologie, a subsidiary of Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmetics, was distinguished by the Prix Galien award (France) for Hemangiol, an oral pediatric propranolol solution specifically developed for some severe infantile hemangiomas. Hemangiol was successively approved by American (FDA) and European health agencies (EMA) in March and April 2014. It’s the only dermatologic drug awarded by the Prix Galien award since 1993.

"This award for Hemangiol is recognition of the progress made in the treatment of a pediatric dermatological condition for which there was a real therapeutic need. Our public–private partnership, which kicked off 7 years ago with the Bordeaux University, the University Hospital with support from the agency "Aquitaine Science Transfer", is thus rewarded. Remember also that we owe this success to the determination of Mr Pierre Fabre who initiated this project," stated Eric Ducournau, CEO of Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmetics.

"This Prix Galien award is a credit to the entire Pierre Fabre company. We receive it as a fantastic encouragement to continue our research efforts in our Group's priority fields of therapeutic innovation, in particular dermatology which is the natural link between our activities in medicines and those in dermocosmetics," commented Bertrand Parmentier, CEO of Pierre Fabre Laboratories.

Treating infantile hemangiomas requiring systemic treatment Infantile hemangioma is the most common tumour in infants (3 to 10% of infants up to one year old and up to 30% of premature babies). Twelve percent of hemangiomas require treatment. The treatment of hemangiomas requiring systemic treatment hardly evolved at all for decades. It consisted of general corticosteroid therapy.

The effect of propranolol in the treatment of certain infantile hemangiomas was observed for the first time in 2007 by Doctor Christine Léauté-Labrèze, a dermatologist at the Bordeaux University Hospital. This discovery revolutionized the management and treatment of infantile hemangiomas requiring systemic treatment.