2025 Prix Galien Forum and Awards: Reflections on a Week of Healthcare Innovation
The 2025 Prix Galien USA Forum and Awards brought together life science leaders, clinicians, and health tech innovators for a week of dialogue, recognition, and collaboration. Often described as the “Nobel Prize of biopharmaceutical research,” the Prix Galien Awards recognize the most impactful contributions to human health each year and celebrate breakthroughs in new treatments, research, digital health infrastructure, and patient care.
Held at the Alexandria Center for Life Science and the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, this year’s event explored how breakthroughs in science and digital technology are transforming the way care is discovered, delivered, and experienced.
“Innovation only matters when it improves access, outcomes, and lives.”
Prix Galien Forum: Data, AI, and the evolving care model
This year’s discussions centered on the power of data, and how it connects every part of the healthcare ecosystem. From clinical research and AI-driven drug development to patient engagement and digital health equity, speakers emphasized that better data leads to better decisions and better outcomes.
Panels explored topics such as “Decoding AI’s Impact on Drug Development” and “Courage to Innovate,” highlighting both optimism and responsibility as the industry embraces a more data-informed, patient-first model of care.
Across sessions, one message was clear: progress in healthcare will depend not only on new discoveries, but also on the integrity, interoperability, and insight of the data that drives them.
Prix Galien Patient Summit: Putting people at the center of data-driven care
The Patient Summit reinforced that technology and policy only matter if they improve the human experience. Speakers from patient advocacy, biopharma, and digital health shared insights on building trust in how patient data is used, reducing barriers to access, and designing care models that are transparent and inclusive.
“The future of healthcare depends on how well we combine innovation with empathy.”
Trends from Prix Galien: A call to build smarter, more connected care systems
The conversations at this year’s premier digital health and life sciences awards event made it clear that the most transformative advances will come from connecting people, systems, and information in ways that make healthcare both personal and equitable.
Trend 1: A rising spotlight on digital health awards and care infrastructure
As the industry continues to embrace hybrid care models and digital transformation, digital health awards like Prix Galien’s Best Digital Health Solution category are gaining recognition for spotlighting the infrastructure needed to support the next era of healthcare.
Among the world’s most innovative biopharmaceutical and medtech organizations, a growing recognition of digital solutions reflects a shift in how the industry defines innovation moving from standalone technologies to connected ecosystems that blend science, data, and care delivery.
Among this year’s finalists was Wheel Horizon™, our virtual care infrastructure platform designed specifically for life sciences. While the top honor went to Oura, Horizon’s nomination as a finalist reflects a growing awareness that future-ready care depends on the scalable, connected, compliant systems behind them. As digital health continues to evolve, platforms like Horizon and Oura are showing how data can power more continuous, personalized care experiences.
“The real innovation isn’t in flashy tech. It’s in building the foundation that makes consistent, compassionate care possible.” - Wheel CEO, Michelle Davey
Trend 2: Collaboration and responsible data-sharing will accelerate outcomes
Throughout the week, collaboration was a central theme. Scientists, clinicians, policymakers, and technology leaders explored how shared data standards and partnerships can accelerate the translation of research into real-world outcomes.
The Galien Week of Innovation webinar series amplified these discussions, giving nominees a platform to share their lessons and progress. Leaders spoke about the challenges of operationalizing data responsibly, maintaining patient privacy, and using evidence to inform both clinical and commercial decisions.
“Innovation thrives when it serves people. And when data builds trust in every step of care.”
Trend 3: Infrastructure, connectivity, and data are global imperatives
The Awards Gala at the American Museum of Natural History closed the week with a celebration of discovery and impact. Honorees across categories, from life-saving therapies to transformative digital tools, reflected the collective mission to improve health and equity around the world.
For digital health innovators, the evening marked an inflection point. Infrastructure, connectivity, and data integrity are now seen as critical components of scientific progress, uniting the fields of life sciences and virtual care.
Why Horizon™ was honored: Infrastructure built for pharma’s digital future
Wheel Horizon was nominated for Best Digital Health Solution because it represents a new model for how pharmaceutical companies deliver connected and comprehensive care to patients.
Rather than focusing on a single disease or workflow, Horizon supports the full commercialization lifecycle. It’s a compliant, scalable, and clinically-governed virtual care platform that helps life science brands launch direct-to-patient care programs that are:
- Condition-agnostic and easily configurable
- Fully integrated with clinical, fulfillment, and compliance workflows
- Designed to extend value from first prescription to post-LOE (loss of exclusivity)
With over 7 million virtual care visits powered to date, Horizon has been adopted by digital health platforms, retail health brands, and pharmaceutical manufacturers looking to scale personalized, protocol-driven care across therapeutic areas including women's health, weight management, general and urgent care, chronic disease, sexual health, and more.
Looking ahead: Pharma innovation and digital health
The Prix Galien Forum, Patient Summit, and Awards reinforced a powerful truth, that innovation in healthcare is a collective effort. It takes shared purpose, trustworthy data, and thoughtful collaboration to turn breakthroughs into better patient outcomes.
Book a strategy call with our team and learn more about Wheel’s virtual care platform.