Business · Singapore Bureau
Kagan and Soai awarded 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
French and Japanese scientists Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai have been jointly awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for groundbreaking discoveries in asymmetric organic synthesis. The prize recognises their work on non-linear effects and autocatalysis, fundamental concepts that have advanced chemical manufacturing and pharmaceutical development.
LSN Singapore ·
The Nobel Committee announced the award in Stockholm on Wednesday, honouring the two researchers for their contributions to asymmetric synthesis, a field critical to producing single-handed molecules used in medicines and industrial chemicals.
Kagan and Soai's discoveries concerning non-linear effects and autocatalytic processes have opened new pathways for chemists to control molecular structure with unprecedented precision. Their work addresses a longstanding challenge in organic chemistry: creating molecules with specific three-dimensional configurations, which often determines whether a drug works effectively or poses health risks.
Asymmetric synthesis has become increasingly important in pharmaceutical manufacturing, where producing the correct molecular form can mean the difference between an effective treatment and a harmful compound. The researchers' insights into how chemical reactions can amplify selectivity through autocatalytic mechanisms have found practical applications across the industry.
The 2026 chemistry prize continues the Nobel Foundation's tradition of recognising fundamental scientific breakthroughs that reshape entire fields of research and benefit practical applications worldwide.