Turkish COVID-19 vaccine developer scientist gets Germany's top prize, DPA reports

Ozlem Tureci (L) and her husband Ugur Sahin, both scientists and founders of BioNTech, on March 19, 2021 in Berlin [ODD ANDERSEN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images]

The Turkish German couple who developed the first coronavirus vaccine are the latest recipients of Germany’s most prestigious medical prize, DPA reports.

According to the report, the two scientists, Özlem Türeci, and her husband, Ugur Sahin, were awarded the prize named Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter.

The prize comes with 120,000 Euros ($132,000) in prize money. Along with the couple, the prize was handed to Hungarian-American scientist, Katalin Kariko, Senior Vice President of BioNTech, co-founded by Ugur Sahin.

For the first time in the 70-year history of the award, the winners of two years were honoured at the same prize-giving event, the report says.

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