American Chemical Society Honors Innovators at Its 2026 Heroes of Chemistry Ceremony

The American Chemical Society celebrated its 2026 Heroes of Chemistry during the ACS Fall meeting in Chicago, formally recognizing industrial research teams whose work produced commercially successful products with measurable benefits to society. The annual award highlights chemistry that has moved beyond the laboratory to deliver practical advances in health, agriculture, materials and related fields. This year’s honorees came from Novartis, Corteva Agriscience, Gilead Sciences and Qnity Electronics.

Heroes of Chemistry is a peer-nominated program that focuses specifically on teams of industrial scientists and engineers. Selection criteria emphasize both scientific achievement and real-world impact through products that have reached the market and improved lives or strengthened critical industries. The 2026 ceremony continued that tradition by showcasing innovations spanning oncology, crop protection, antiviral therapy and semiconductor manufacturing.

Recognized Achievements Across Sectors

Novartis was honored for Scemblix® (asciminib), a therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia that acts by restoring a key protein to its inactive state, offering a distinct mechanism for patients who need additional treatment options. Corteva received recognition for Pyraxalt™ active (triflumezopyrim), an insecticide that provides rapid, long-lasting control of rice planthoppers through a novel mode of action, supporting yield protection and sustainable rice production in Asia. Gilead Sciences was recognized for Veklury® (remdesivir), an antiviral that demonstrated broad activity and became the first FDA-approved treatment for COVID-19, helping reduce recovery time during the pandemic. Qnity Electronics was honored for breakthrough non-fluorine photoresists that advance semiconductor manufacturing while addressing environmental considerations associated with traditional fluorinated materials.

Together the four awards illustrate the breadth of industrial chemistry that ACS seeks to elevate: life-changing medicines, tools for global food security, pandemic response capabilities and enabling materials for the electronics industry.

Implications for Industrial Research Visibility

For the specialty chemicals, pharmaceutical and agrochemical marketplace, the Heroes of Chemistry program provides a high-profile platform that links laboratory innovation directly to commercial and societal outcomes. Recognition can strengthen internal research cultures, aid talent attraction and offer external validation when companies communicate the value of their R&D pipelines. The 2026 cohort, spanning human health, agriculture and advanced materials, reinforces that successful industrial chemistry continues to operate at the intersection of scientific novelty and practical benefit.

The ACS ceremony in Chicago therefore served both as a celebration of specific teams and as a broader affirmation of the role industrial chemists play in translating discovery into products that reach patients, growers and manufacturers. By honoring these 2026 Heroes of Chemistry, the Society again placed commercially proven, society-benefiting innovation at the center of its recognition programs.