Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation Awards Dr. Miia Kivipelto Esteemed Melvin R. Goodes Prize

The prize recognizes Dr. Kivipelto's critical research to prevent cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

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Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation

Oct 29, 2021, 15:42 ET

NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) has named Dr. Miia Kivipelto as the recipient of the 2021 Melvin R. Goodes Prize for Excellence in Alzheimer's Drug Discovery. She is being honored for her groundbreaking work on the world's first global initiative for preventing dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

The Goodes Prize, named for Melvin R. Goodes, a distinguished leader in the pharmaceutical industry, is awarded each year to an innovative researcher who has made a significant and lasting impact in the Alzheimer's field. The prize includes $150,000 to further the awardee's research.

Dr. Kivipelto is the Founder of the FINGERS Brain Health Institute, Professor of Clinical Geriatrics at the Karolinska Institute Center for Alzheimer Research, and Senior Geriatrician and Director for Research and Development of Medical Unit Aging at Karolinska University Hospital, as well as serving on the ADDF's Board of Governors. Part of her Nordic-UK Brain Network multidisciplinary research team is located at the University of Eastern Finland and Imperial College London, UK, where she is also professor. She and her team led the landmark FINGER (Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability) trial, which studied how a combination of lifestyle interventions—including exercise, diet, cognitive/social stimulation, and management of vascular/metabolic risk factors—can prevent cognitive decline.

"Prevention is a key pillar of the fight against Alzheimer's disease, and the ADDF takes great pride in being able to support unique and innovative research like Dr. Kivipelto's multimodal approach in the FINGER trial," said Howard Fillit, MD, Founding Executive Director and Chief Science Officer of the ADDF. "Even if we can delay the onset of Alzheimer's by a few years, it could make a huge difference in people's lives."

With the funding provided through the Goodes Prize, Dr. Kivipelto plans to expand her worldwide FINGER trial by adding metformin to the lifestyle interventions of her initial study. Metformin is currently the leading drug prescribed for diabetes. The FINGER-metformin study will test whether adding metformin will further prevent the metabolic dysfunctions frequently observed with aging and associated with cognitive decline.

"Being awarded the Goodes Prize is a great honor, not only for me and my team, but also because it represents a larger recognition of the importance of prevention and risk reduction work in the Alzheimer's field," said Dr. Kivipelto. "Mel Goodes has been a wonderful, distinguished leader in the pharmaceutical industry, and I am grateful to both him and his wife Nancy for establishing this award to drive forward critical research to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease."

ABOUT THE GOODES PRIZE
The Melvin R. Goodes Prize is named in honor of the courage, legacy and research advocacy of Mr. Goodes, former Warner-Lambert Chairman and CEO and honorary member of the ADDF's Board of Governors. It was created thanks to the generosity of Mr. Goodes and his wife, Nancy, who is also on the ADDF's Board. The Goodes Family Foundation committed $750,000 to fund the Goodes Prizes for 10 years, and the ADDF matched that contribution. Each year, the Goodes Prizes is awarded to a professionally active researcher in academia or industry who has pursued novel research and made a significant and lasting impact in Alzheimer's drug discovery. A Selection Committee that includes leaders in the field nominates candidates for consideration and chooses a winner based on past achievements and proposed future research.

Past Awardees
2020: Jerri M. Rook, PhD
2019: Jeffrey Cummings, MD, PhD
2018: Michela Gallagher, PhD
2017: Roberta Diaz Brinton, PhD
2016: Daniel Martin Watterson, PhD
2015: Frank M. Longo, MD, PhD

ABOUT MELVIN R. GOODES
Melvin R. Goodes joined Warner-Lambert Canada as manager of new product development in 1965 and quickly rose through the ranks to become CEO and Chairman Worldwide in 1991. Under his leadership, Warner-Lambert became a major player in the prescription drug industry, bringing Lipitor to market in 1996. Lipitor, a highly effective statin, was the world's best-selling drug, with more than $135 billion in sales. Early in his tenure as CEO, he spearheaded the development of Cognex, the first drug approved by the FDA for Alzheimer's disease. In 2010, Mr. Goodes made headlines with a landmark speech revealing his early-stage Alzheimer's disease and pledging to apply all his efforts to speed up the search for new therapies. Since this speech, he and his wife Nancy have become strong ambassadors for the ADDF, inspiring hope among Alzheimer's patients, caregivers, physicians, and researchers.

ABOUT THE ALZHEIMER'S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION
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. Through the generosity of its donors, the ADDF has awarded more than $168 million to fund over 650 Alzheimer's drug discovery and biomarker programs and clinical trials in 19 countries. To learn more, please visit: http://www.alzdiscovery.org/

SOURCE Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation