Three scientists share 2015 Nobel Prize for physiology, medicine

STOCKHOLM, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's Tu Youyou, Irish-born William Campbell and Japan's Satoshi Omura jointly won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, the Nobel Assembly at Sweden's Karolinska Institute announced Monday.

Tu won half of the prize "for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria", while Campbell and Omura were jointly awarded the other half of the prize "for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites," said the assembly.

According to the statement, Tu discovered Artemisinin, a drug that has significantly reduced the mortality rates for patients suffering from Malaria.

William C. Campbell and Satoshi Omura discovered a new drug, Avermectin, the derivatives of which have radically lowered the incidence of river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, as well as showing efficacy against an expanding number of other parasitic diseases.

File photo taken on Sept. 23, 2011 shows Chinese pharmacologist Tu Youyou posing with her trophy after winning the Lasker Award, a prestigious U.S. medical prize, in New York, the United States. China's Tu Youyou, Irish-born William Campbell, and Japan's Satoshi Omura jointly won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, the Nobel Assembly at Sweden's Karolinska Institute announced on Monday. Tu won half of the prize for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against malaria.(Xinhua/Wang Chengyun)

A screen shows the portait of Tu Youyou,Chinese winner of 2015 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, and her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, Oct. 5, 2015. China's Tu Youyou, Irish-born William Campbell and Japan's Satoshi Omura jointly won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, the Nobel Assembly at Sweden's Karolinska Institute announced Monday. Tu won half of the prize for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria, while Campbell and Omura were jointly awarded the other half of the prize for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites, said the assembly. (XinhuaRob Schoenbaum

A screen shows the 2015 Nobel laureates for Physiology or Medicine including China's Tu Youyou, Japan's Satoshi Omura and Irish-born William Campbell (R to L) at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, Oct. 5, 2015. China's Tu Youyou, Irish-born William Campbell and Japan's Satoshi Omura jointly won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, the Nobel Assembly at Sweden's Karolinska Institute announced Monday. Tu won half of the prize "for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria", while Campbell and Omura were jointly awarded the other half of the prize "for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites," said the assembly. (Xinhua/Rob Schoenbaum)

Undated file photo shows Tu Youyou, a pharmacologist with the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, working to make artemisinin, a drug therapy for malaria, in 1980s. China's Tu Youyou, Irish-born William Campbell, and Japan's Satoshi Omura jointly won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, the Nobel Assembly at Sweden's Karolinska Institute announced on Monday. Tu won half of the prize for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against malaria. (Xinhua/Yang Wumin)

Undated file photo shows Tu Youyou (R, front), a pharmacologist with the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, working with professor Lou Zhicen to study the traditional Chinese medicine, in 1950s. China's Tu Youyou, Irish-born William Campbell, and Japan's Satoshi Omura jointly won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, the Nobel Assembly at Sweden's Karolinska Institute announced on Monday. Tu won half of the prize for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against malaria. (Xinhua)