Professor Sir Marc Feldmann FRS

Marc Feldmann is an immunologist who has carried out groundbreaking work on the treatment of a number of autoimmune diseases. His particular research interest is in deciphering the role of cell-signalling chemicals known as cytokines in human disease processes.

Together with Sir Ravinder Maini FMedSci FRS, he was the first to show that antibodies that bind to the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) cytokine could block inflammation in the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). He later discovered that by adding an immune suppressant — for example, the chemotherapy drug, methotrexate — the treatment could be made to work better and last longer.

Marc’s findings have had a major impact on the treatment of RA: over 5 million patients have now received anti-TNF drugs, such as the monoclonal antibody infliximab. In addition, his pioneering work with cytokines has led to the successful treatment of other autoimmune diseases, including Crohn’s disease and ankylosing spondylitis — significantly improving the daily lives of millions of people worldwide.

Together with Sir Ravinder Maini, Professor Sir Marc has won many awards including the Crafoord Prize (2000); the Cameron Prize for Therapeutics of the University of Edinburgh (2002); the Alber Lasker Award (2003); the John Curtin Medal (2007); the Dr Paul Janssen Award (2008); the Ernst Schering Prize (2010); the Canada Gairdner International Award (2014); and the Tang Prize (2020).

Feldmann is Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and of the Royal College of Pathologists. He was elected a Fellow of several national Academies, the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Royal Society of London and is a Corresponding Member of Australian Academy of Science, and a Foreign Member of the National Academy of Sciences, USA. He was knighted in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours.