Kagan and Soai win 2026 Nobel Chemistry Prize for asymmetric synthesis of mirror-image molecules

The chemistry Nobel, always the ​third prize to be awarded during Nobel week, followed those for medicine and physics announced on Monday and Tuesday.

STOCKHOLM — Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for their efforts to resolve mysterious mirror images in chemical molecules, a discovery that transformed modern medicine. Many molecules of life come in versions that look alike but aren’t exactly identical, like right and left hands. One mirror image of the chemical carvone smells like mint, for example, while the other has a whiff of caraway. When designing drugs to treat diseases, scientists want to be choosy about which mirror image they’re getting. They want the version of a molecule that’ll treat a cold, not the kind that’ll make the sniffles worse. Kagan and Soai found ways to make chemistry pick a side, designing and manipulating reactions to produce the desired mirror image. “This is probably the coolest experiment in organic chemistry,” said Peter Somfai, a member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry. “Taken together, the groundbreaking discoveries by Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai have reshaped our understanding of molecular chirality — how it is created, amplified and transmitt

Henri B Kagan of France and Kenso Soai from Japan were honored with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2026. They unveiled the fascinating reason why living organisms favor left-handed amino acids over right-handed ones. Their groundbreaking research focused on generating pharmaceuticals that utilize only the beneficial mirror form of amino acids.

Scientists Henri B Kagan and Kenso Soai have won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for helping solve a mystery that has puzzled chemists for more than a century: why molecules that are mirror images of each other can behave differently and how one specific version can be produced selectively.Their work on asymmetric reactions has provided chemists with powerful ways to create the desired “left-handed” or “right-handed” form of a molecule, an advance with major implications for pharmaceutical manufacturing.“Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai have provided a solution to a chemical mystery that is over a century old: how homochirality can emerge spontaneously,” Heiner Linke, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said in a news release.Who Is Henri Kagan?Kagan, 95, is a French scientist affiliated with Université Paris-Sud in Orsay, France. His research helped chemists overcome a fundamental problem in chemistry: how to produce an excess of one form of a molecule when two mirror-image versions are possible.Kagan and Soai developed asymmetric reactions that allowed chemists to selectively produce particular mirror-image forms of molecules. Their research built on discoveries made by 19th-century French chemist Louis Pasteur.Pasteur, while studying tartaric acid, which is important in wine production, observed that bacteria fermented only one of its two forms, the one naturally found in grapes. The other form did not undergo fermentation. His findings demonstrated that some substances can occur in two mirror-image forms with different properties.The challenge of selectively creating the required form, however, remained unresolved until work by Kagan and Soai provided ways of producing an excess of one form through asymmetric reactions.Who Is Kenso Soai?Soai, 76, is a Japanese scientist affiliated with the Tokyo University of Science. His research, like Kagan’s, centred on the chemistry of asymmetric molecules and helped explain how reactions could favour one molecular mirror image over another.Soai was shopping near his home when the Nobel committee reached him with news of the award.“This is the most exciting day in my life, I am very glad to share this prize with professor Henri Kagan,” Soai said, speaking by phone to the Nobel Prize press conference, adding that he had been shopping when he received the news.At the time, the Nobel committee was still trying to contact Kagan to inform him that he had won the prize.Why Their Work MattersMany molecules essential to life exist in two forms that mirror each other, much like left and right hands. Yet living organisms almost exclusively use only one version, a phenomenon known as “homochirality”, derived from the Greek word for hand.The phenomenon has puzzled chemists for more than a century. Kagan and Soai’s discoveries showed how chemical reactions could be made to favour a single molecular mirror image, giving chemists important tools for designing reactions used in pharmaceutical manufacturing.“The left-handed version of the drug can have one effect, and the right-handed version can have another effect, and then we need methods for selectively preparing them,” Peter Somfai, a member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said.“In developing such methods the findings of this year's laureates are important. They provided powerful tools for that,” he said.CJI Surya Kant To Examine Plea Seeking Recall Of Split Verdict In CEC Law CaseThe significance of distinguishing between molecular mirror images was starkly illustrated by the thalidomide scandal of the early 1960s. Thousands of children were affected by birth defects linked to the sedative thalidomide. Researchers later found that the mirror-image form of the drug’s active substance had caused the harm.From Pasteur’s Discovery To The Nobel PrizeKagan and Soai’s Nobel-winning research traces its scientific roots to Pasteur’s work, but their advances helped address the practical challenge of creating the desired form of a chiral substance.Their ability to produce asymmetric reactions and generate an excess of one molecular form became particularly important for chemists developing pharmaceuticals, where different mirror-image forms can have dramatically different effects.Kagan and Soai will receive their Nobel medals from Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf at a ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. The awards ceremony will be followed by a banquet at Stockholm City Hall. The laureates will also share 12 million Swedish crowns ($1.2 million).

France's Henri Kagan and Japan's Kenso Soai have won the Nobel chemistry prize for solving the mystery of why only one version of some molecules' mirror-image forms appears in nature.

The Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded on Wednesday to French scientist Henri B. Kagan and Japan’s Kenso Soai for unravelling the mystery of why only one of two forms of certain molecules occurs in nature.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai.

The duo was recognised for the discovery of ‘non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis’

The literature prize is set to be awarded Thursday. After Friday's peace prize is awarded, the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences will be announced Monday

Discoveries by them have been ‘decisive’ for developing pharmaceuticals, said the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Scientists Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday “for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric ​organic synthesis,” the award-giving body said.The chemistry honour, traditionally the third award announced during Nobel week, followed the Nobel prizes for medicine and physics, which were announced on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.Prize Recognises Foundational ChemistryExplaining the significance of the work, Nobel Committee for Chemistry Chair Heiner Linke said the prize concerned fundamental aspects of chemistry and the different forms in which molecules can occur, Reuters reports.LIVE: Nobel Prize in Chemistry announced https://t.co/yJ44DhoC7q— Reuters (@Reuters) October 7, 2026“So this year's prize is about foundational chemistry. Many molecules occur in two different versions. Like my hands. ​They are one another's mirror image, they look alike, but they are not ​identical. I cannot put my hands on top of one another. Such ⁠molecules are called chiral, from the Greek word for hand,” Linke said.Nobel Prize In Physics 2026 Awarded To Francis Halzen For High-Energy Neutrino DiscoveriesNobel Prizes Awarded Since 1901The Nobel prizes were established under the will of Swedish inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel and have recognised achievements in science, literature and peace since 1901, barring a few interruptions, mostly during the world wars.Nobel, a chemist, accumulated considerable wealth in the 19th century through inventions largely associated with warfare, most notably dynamite. The economics prize was introduced later and is funded by Sweden’s central bank.Although chemistry laureates are sometimes overshadowed by better-known winners in physics, literature and peace, the prize has recognised several influential discoveries, including nuclear fission and genetic sequencing techniques.In 2025, the chemistry prize went to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi for developing metal-organic frameworks, molecular structures that can help address challenges including climate change and shortages of fresh water.Also Watch:Laureates To Share 12 Million Swedish CrownsKagan and Soai will share 12 million Swedish crowns ($1.2 million) along with the distinction of winning one of the world’s most prestigious science awards.The laureates will receive their medals from Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf at a ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. The ceremony will be followed by a banquet at Stockholm City Hall.The Nobel Peace Prize, the only Nobel prize not presented in Sweden, is awarded separately in Oslo.

This year’s prize recognised discoveries showing how chemical reactions can favour a single molecular mirror image, a breakthrough crucial to pharmaceutical manufacturing.

They won for their discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis, solving a chemical mystery more than a century old.

Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai were awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in chemistry on Wednesday for solving a mystery with research on "mirror image" molecules.

The Nobel Committee recognized them for “the discovery of nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.”

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai “for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.” Some molecules, such as amino acids, exist as two variants that are each other’s mirror image. However, living organisms only […]

Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for their efforts to resolve mysterious mirror images in chemical molecules.

Scientists made key contributions to the understanding of ‘chirality’ in the 1990s, discoveries that proved important for the development of pharmaceuticals

Nobel Chemistry Prize honours Kagan Soai for solving homochirality puzzle

Scientists Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry “for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis,” the award-giving body said on Wednesday. The chemistry Nobel, always the third prize to be awarded during Nobel week, followed those for medicine and physics announced on Monday and Tuesday. “So this year’s prize is about foundational chemistry. Many molecules occur in two different versions. Like my hands. They are one another’s mirror image, they look alike, but they are not identical. I cannot put my hands on top of one another. Such molecules are called chiral, from the Greek word for hand,” Heiner Linke, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said. Established in the will of Swedish inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel, the prizes for achievements in science, literature and peace have been awarded since 1901, with a few interruptions mostly due to the world wars. Nobel, a chemist by trade, amassed huge wealth in the 19th century from inventions primarily tied to warfare, most notably dynamite. The economics prize is a later addition funded by the Swedish central bank. Sometimes overshadowed by more famous laureates in the fields of physics, literature and peace, the chemistry awards have still recognised many influential discoveries such as nuclear fission and genetic sequencing techniques. Last year’s chemistry award went to scientists Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi for the development of so-called metalorganic frameworks, molecular constructions that can help tackle challenges such as climate change and lack of fresh water. The laureates will receive their medals from Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf at a ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. The awards are followed by a lavish banquet at Stockholm City Hall. They also share 12 million Swedish crowns ($1.2 million), as well as the fame of winning arguably the world’s most prestigious science award. The peace prize, the only Nobel not presented in Sweden, is awarded separately in Oslo.

Henri B Kagan and Kensō Soai awarded prize for discovery of nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesisThe Nobel prize in chemistry 2026 has been awarded to two scientists for discoveries that showed how chemical reactions can produce one of two mirror image forms of a molecule.Henri B Kagan at Paris-Sud University in France and Kensō Soai at Tokyo University of Science in Japan have been awarded the prize “for the discovery of nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis”. Continue reading...

Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for their efforts to resolve mysterious mirror images in chemical molecules.

Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for their discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.

Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai have been honoured for their work on making molecules form the correct mirror images

The chemistry Nobel, always the third prize to be awarded during Nobel week, followed those for medicine and physics announced on Monday and Tuesday.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually as part of the Nobel Prizes established under the will of Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel. Nobel, who made his fortune through inventions including dynamite, specified that prizes should be awarded to those who had made the “greatest benefit to humankind” in five fields: Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace.

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai for solving the mystery of why only one version of some molecules’ mirror-image forms appears in nature, a discovery decisive for the development of pharmaceuticals. The pair were honoured “for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis”, the jury said. Like hands, all amino acids exist as two mirrored variants, but only one of them is found in the proteins in the body’s...

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Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their groundbreaking discoveries related to the origin of chirality and life's chemistry.

Chemistry Nobel to Henri B Kagan Kenso Soai for solving a chemical mystery

The prize recognizes Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai's discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis

Japanese scientist Kenso Soai and Henri B. Kagan won "for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis."

The chemistry Nobel followed those for medicine and physics announced on Monday and Tuesday