BioNJ has announced the recipients of its 2026 Innovator Awards, who will be recognized at the organization’s 33rd Annual Dinner Meeting & Innovation Celebration. The event is scheduled for February 5 at the East Brunswick Hilton.
“Because Patients Can’t Wait, we are incredibly proud of our members who are helping patients live longer, better lives,” said BioNJ President and CEO Debbie Hart. “At BioNJ’s Annual Dinner Meeting & Innovation Celebration, we’ll come together to honor the remarkable dedication and transformative work of New Jersey’s life sciences community — a beacon of innovation and hope that turns patients’ dreams into reality around the globe. With 20 novel FDA approvals, as well as a newly approved cell and gene therapy, in 2025, New Jersey proudly stands at the forefront of progress, setting the standard for excellence across the nation.”
The list of 2026 Innovator Award honorees was released by BioNJ. In addition to these awards, Dr. Jan van de Winkel, president and CEO of Genmab, will receive the Dr. Sol J. Barer Award for Vision, Innovation and Leadership.
This award is named after Dr. Sol J. Barer, founder and former chairman and CEO of Celgene Corporation as well as a former BioNJ Chairman. It recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing the life sciences industry both in New Jersey and globally.
“We are thrilled to announce Dr. Jan van de Winkel as the 2026 Dr. Sol J. Barer Award recipient,” said Hart. “His passion for patients has been the driving force behind his work — fueling scientific breakthroughs that have changed countless lives and setting new standards for what is possible in biomedical innovation. Equally inspiring is his deep and enduring dedication to New Jersey, where he has championed growth, invested in talent and helped strengthen the State’s position as a global leader in life sciences. This award is a fitting tribute to a career defined by bold ideas and transformative impact.”
The event will also include presentation of Heart of BioNJ Awards to patient advocates and a special address titled “The Power of Innovation: A Mother-Son Journey with Cystic Fibrosis” by Siobhan Barry and Conor Reid.
