A molecule’s ‘handedness’ can determine whether it’s an effective drug – 4 examples of pharmaceuticals where chirality matters

The 2026 Nobel Prize in chemistry gave a hand to handed molecules – and the processes chemists use to create them.

By: Cedric Schaack, Wake Forest University and Mallory Green, Wake Forest University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: October 8, 2026

Words: 1,598

Last Updated: 1 week, 2 days ago

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By Cedric Schaack, Wake Forest University and Mallory Green, Wake Forest University

The 2026 Nobel Prize in chemistry concerns a property called chirality, which may sound like an abstract science term but is actually all around you, all the time.

Picture a spiral galaxy rotating in space, or follow the outline of a snail’s shell as it spirals clockwise to the tip. In each case, you can draw a mirror image of the spiral that won’t …

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