ADDF Marks Tenth Anniversary of Melvin R. Goodes Prize with Celebration in Stockholm, Sweden, Honoring Scientists Dedicated to Innovation in Alzheimer's Research

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Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation

Sep 12, 2024, 13:23 ET

Queen Silvia of Sweden and U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Attended in Support of Mission to Fight Alzheimer's Disease

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) held its prestigious Tenth Annual Melvin R. Goodes Prize internationally for the first time in Stockholm, Sweden from September 8-10. This esteemed annual award honors a leading scientist for their exceptional contributions to Alzheimer's research, underscoring the global fight against Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. This year's Goodes Prize recognized Henrik Zetterberg, MD, PhD, a biomarker expert from Sweden, who is a pioneer in the Alzheimer's field and has spent the last 15 years focusing on the development of biomarkers for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

The three-day event featured a series of scientific lectures at the renowned Karolinska Institute spotlighting significant research achievements from previous Goodes Prize winners. In honor of the occasion, Queen Silvia of Sweden attended and gave remarks congratulating the scientists.

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Goodes Prize, all past laureates were also honored during a special dinner and ceremony on Tuesday, September 10 at the iconic Stockholm City Hall, where U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Erik Ramanathan and ADDF Board Co-Vice Chair and Secretary Randal Sandler presented commemorative medals to the prize recipients. The celebration brought together leaders from academia, industry, and philanthropy to recognize these exceptional researchers and to foster collaboration toward a future free of Alzheimer's.

"My brother and I founded the ADDF because we saw the urgent need for effective treatments for Alzheimer's," said Leonard A. Lauder, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the ADDF. "It is incredibly meaningful for us to gather the world's top researchers and support their work through the Goodes Prize. Their research, along with the leadership of the ADDF, is changing the course of this disease and getting us closer to making Alzheimer's a thing of the past."

"I am so proud to see how the Goodes Prize has not just evolved but has become one of the key assets in the battle against Alzheimer's disease," said Ronald S. Lauder, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the ADDF. "Since we began this award ten years ago, each of its recipients has made such important contributions to the science and knowledge of Alzheimer's. Because of them, we are closer than ever to having multiple treatments, better diagnostic tools, and effective prevention methods that we can combine to defeat this disease. I am so proud of these great scientists."

Established in honor of Melvin R. Goodes, former CEO of Warner-Lambert Company who channeled his unique knowledge of the drug industry into Alzheimer's advocacy after being diagnosed with the disease, the Melvin R. Goodes Prize for Excellence in Drug Development celebrates groundbreaking innovation and perseverance in the quest for effective treatments for Alzheimer's. The award recognizes individual researchers whose work has greatly advanced our understanding of Alzheimer's mechanisms, biomarkers, or therapeutic strategies, paving the way for potential breakthroughs in treatment and prevention.

"The Goodes Prize underscores our commitment to advancing drug development for Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Howard Fillit, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of the ADDF. "Hosting this year's event in Sweden—home of the Nobel Prize—is symbolic of the Goodes Prize's esteem within the Alzheimer's community. This special occasion highlights the ADDF's vital role on the global stage and our dedication to spearheading Alzheimer's research worldwide."

Prominent Palm Beach residents and ADDF supporters in attendance included Gary Lauder, Anita Cosgrove, Chip DiPaola, Ann Jackson and Ken Wilson, Angela Kumble, Bonnie Pfeifer Evans, Julie Geier, Nancy Goodes, Peter and Deborah Krulewitch, Laura Landro and Rick Salomon, Sharon Sager, Caroline Fitzgibbons and Tad Smith, Bonnie and Tom Strauss, and other distinguished guests.

For more information about the Melvin R. Goodes Prize and this year's award recipient, please visit the event webpage.

About the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF)
Founded in 1998 by Leonard A. and Ronald S. Lauder, the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation is dedicated to rapidly accelerating the discovery of drugs to prevent, treat and cure Alzheimer's disease. The ADDF is the only public charity solely focused on funding the development of drugs for Alzheimer's, employing a venture philanthropy model to support research in academia and the biotech industry. The ADDF's leadership and contributions to the field have played a pivotal role in bringing the first Alzheimer's PET scan (Amyvid®) and blood test (PrecivityAD®) to market, as well as fueling the current robust and diverse drug pipeline. Through the generosity of its donors, the ADDF has awarded more than $290 million to fund over 750 Alzheimer's drug discovery programs, biomarker programs and clinical trials in 20 countries. To learn more, please visit: http://www.alzdiscovery.org/.

SOURCE Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation