homeWelcome, sign in or click here to subscribe.login
     


 

 

Business


Subscriber content preview

October 8, 2026

Scientists win chemistry Nobel for discoveries about mirrored molecules that led to many drugs

By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN, KOSTYA MANENKOV and STEFANIE DAZIO
Associated Press

STOCKHOLM — Scientists Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for untangling mysterious mirror images in molecules, a discovery that has been used to develop countless drugs and transformed modern medicine.

Many molecules come in versions that look alike but are not exactly identical, like right and left hands. Kagan, who is from France, and Soai, from Japan, found ways to make chemistry pick a side, describing and designing reactions to produce the desired mirror image.


 
. . .


To read this story in full login or purchase a subscription.




Email or user name:
Password:
 
Forgot password? Click here.