Akira Endo (biochemist)
Akira Endo | |
|---|---|
遠藤章 | |
| Born | 14 November 1933 |
| Died | 5 June 2024 (aged 90) |
| Alma mater | Tohoku University |
| Known for | Discovering the first statin (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor), paving the way for statin drug development |
| Awards | Heinrich Wieland Prize (1987) Japan Prize (2006) Massry Prize (2006) Lasker Award (2008) National Inventors Hall of Fame 2012) Canada Gairdner International Award (2017) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biochemistry |
| Institutions | Sankyo Co., Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology |
Akira Endo (遠藤 章, Endō Akira, 14 November 1933 – 5 June 2024) was a Japanese biochemist whose research into the relationship between fungi and cholesterol biosynthesis led to the development of statin drugs, which are some of the best-selling pharmaceuticals in history.
Endo received the Japan Prize in 2006, the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award in 2008, the Canada Gairdner International Award in 2017.