RECORDATI ANNOUNCES THE WINNER OF THE 12TH EDITION OF THE ARRIGO RECORDATI PRIZE FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
- The 2026 Award, open to early career investigators from around the world, was dedicated to advancing research in paediatric oncology, focused on sarcomas
- Paediatric sarcomas are among the leading causes of cancer-related death in children, yet there has been little innovation in treatment progress over the past 40 years
- Dr. Laura Broutier has been awarded the €250,000 research grant for her DISARMS project on fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma
- The project aims to uncover the mechanisms that allow tumour cells to survive chemotherapy and prevent relapse and metastasis, with the ultimate goal of identifying new, low-toxicity therapeutic approaches
Milan, 17 September 2026 - Recordati S.p.A today announced Dr. Laura Broutier as the winner of the 12th edition of the International Prize forScientific Research Arrigo Recordati, dedicated this year to advancing research in paediatric oncology, with a specific focus on sarcomas.
At the 58th Annual SIOP Congress, in Texas, Dr. Broutier was awarded the €250,000 research grant for her project, "DISARMS - Disrupting Invasion, Stemness And Resistance in RhabdoMyoSarcoma by targeting dormant persister cells."
The winning project was selected by an independent Review Committee of internationally recognised experts following the assessment of research proposals submitted by early career investigators from around the world.
Established in 2000 in memory of the Italian pharmaceutical entrepreneur Arrigo Recordati, the Prize aims to promote scientific research and inspire biomedical discoveries benefiting people worldwide. Since 2019, reflecting Recordati's commitment to rare diseases, the Prize has been dedicated to the promotion and recognition of excellence in orphan disease treatment research.
"It is a privilege to award the 12th Arrigo Recordati Prize to Dr. Laura Broutier and her team, and to support research with the potential to make a meaningful difference for children affected by these devastating diseases," said Andrea Recordati, Chairman of Recordati. "Paediatric sarcomas remain an area of significant unmet need, where progress in treatment has been limited for decades. Supporting outstanding researchers and innovative science is one way we can contribute to advancing knowledge and, ultimately, to improving outcomes for patients and their families."
Paediatric sarcomas
Paediatric sarcomas are a diverse group of rare cancers arising in bone and soft tissues and are among the leading causes of cancer-related death in children. Despite advances in the understanding of their biology, there has been limited innovation in treatment over the past 40 years.
Advancing understanding of the pathophysiology of paediatric sarcomas is critical to developing targeted therapies that are both effective and tolerable, while limiting treatment-related toxicity. Translational research that bridges laboratory discoveries with clinical applications is therefore essential to developing new therapeutic approaches and improving outcomes for children affected by these diseases.
The winning project: DISARMS
Fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft-tissue sarcoma of children and young adults, yet survival has not improved in four decades and treatment toxicity precludes further dose escalation. The mechanisms allowing tumour cells to survive chemotherapy and later drive relapse and metastasis remain poorly understood.
Combining patient-derived organoids, single-cell technologies, and genetic engineering, we have uncovered a dormant, drug-tolerant persister cell state whose signature predicts patient survival in independent cohorts. Building on this foundation, the DISARMS project aims to decode how this cell state couples chemoresistance to an invasive, pro-metastatic programme, and to exploit its vulnerabilities in rational, low-toxicity drug combinations to eliminate the cells conventional chemotherapy spares. As dormant persister programmes are increasingly recognised across cancer types, the framework developed here may extend beyond rhabdomyosarcoma.
2026 Award Winner: Dr. Laura Broutier
Dr. Laura Broutier is an Inserm researcher and group leader at the Cancer Research Center of Lyon, in the "Childhood Cancers & Cell States" team led by Dr. Marie Castets and Prof. Jean-Yves Blay. After a PhD on cancer cell death resistance and a postdoc in Cambridge, pioneering the first liver tumour-derived organoids, she redirected this expertise toward paediatric cancers - rare diseases with almost no dedicated models. Her group now grows 3D tumoroids directly from children's biopsies, including sarcomas, developing innovative approaches to decipher and bypass the molecular and cellular processes that drive treatment resistance, relapse and dissemination.
Dr. Broutier leads the DISARMS project together with a multidisciplinary team combining expertise in patient-derived organoid modeling, single-cell multiomics, computational biology, cancer cell metabolism and translational paediatric oncology. Dr. Maëlle Broustal, a third-year PhD student in biology and bioinformatics who is directly involved in the project, received the Award on Dr. Broutier's behalf at the 2026 Award Ceremony.
"I am deeply honoured that the DISARMS project has been selected for the 2026 Arrigo Recordati Prize," said Dr. Laura Broutier. "Our research seeks to understand how a small population of tumour cells can survive chemotherapy and later drive relapse and metastasis. With the support of this Prize, we hope to identify vulnerabilities that can be translated into rational, low-toxicity therapeutic approaches, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for children and young adults with rhabdomyosarcoma. I am also particularly grateful for the recognition of the team behind this work."
The Award Ceremony was held in San Antonio, Texas, during the SIOP Congress.
The International Prize forScientific Research Arrigo Recordati
The Prize is an international award that aims to promote scientific research and inspire biomedical discoveries benefiting people worldwide. It was established in 2000 in memory of Arrigo Recordati, who strongly believed in the power of scientific research to drive the growth of the pharmaceutical industry and provide products beneficial to public health and individual well-being. His legacy continues to inspire a new generation of researchers - driven by the belief that scientific discovery is the true engine of progress in healthcare.
Over the last almost 20 years, Recordati has developed, produced and marketed medicines for the treatment of rare diseases through Recordati Rare Diseases, dedicated entirely to serving patients globally living with rare conditions and focused on key treatment areas including rare metabolic diseases, endocrinology and hema-oncology. From 2019, to reflect our commitment, the Prize is dedicated to the promotion and recognition of excellence in orphan disease treatment research.
Contacts
recordatiprize2026@recordati.com
| Media Relations | |
| Laura Conti conti.l@recordati.it | Rebecca Kerr rebecca.kerr@recordati.com |
Recordati is an international pharmaceutical Group listed on the Italian Stock Exchange (XMIL: REC), with roots dating back to a family-run pharmacy in Northern Italy in the 1920s. We are uniquely structured to provide treatments across specialty and primary care and rare diseases. Our fully integrated operations span clinical development, manufacturing of active ingredients and finished products, commercialization and licensing. We operate in approximately 150 countries across EMEA, the Americas and APAC, with around 4,700 employees. We believe that health is a fundamental right, not a privilege. Today, our purpose "Unlocking the full potential of life" aims to empower individuals to live life to the fullest, from common conditions to the rarest.
