The
Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize numbers among the most prestigious distinctions awarded in Germany in the field of medical science. The prize is traditionally conferred on Paul Ehrlich's birthday, 14 March, in St. Paul's Church, Frankfurt.
The prize acknowledges scientists who have earned special merit in the research fields represented by Paul Ehrlich, particularly in immunology, cancer research, haematology, microbiology and chemotherapy. The prize is worth €120,000 (status as of 2021). The prize, which has been awarded since 1952, is financed by Germany's Federal Ministry of Health, vfa – Verband Forschender Arzneimittelhersteller e.V. (German Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies) and earmarked donations from the following companies, foundations and institutions: Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung, Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biotest AG, Hans und Wolfgang Schleussner-Stiftung, Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grünenthal GmbH, Janssen-Cilag GmbH, Merck KGaA, Bayer AG, Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH, AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Baden-Württembergische Bank, B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. and Goethe University (status as of 2021). Prizewinners are selected by the Scientific Council of the Paul Ehrlich Foundation. To date, the prize has been conferred on 128 scientists. 25 prize winners are also Nobel Prize laureates (
list of Nobel Prize Winners) (status as of 2021).
Since 2006, the Paul Ehrlich Foundation has additionally awarded the
Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize for Young Researchers to a young personality who has accomplished outstanding achievements in the field of biomedical research at a German research institution. The Prize for Young Researchers is worth €60,000 and financed from earmarked donations from the same companies, foundations and institutions as the main prize (status as of 2021).
