Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery

Science, philanthropy, and fashion came together at our Sixteenth Annual Great Ladies Luncheon & Fashion Show in support of a future without Alzheimer’s disease.   We were proud to honor @wearehfc with the Great Ladies Award, accepted by co-founder @laurenmillerrogen , in recognition of the organization’s extraordinary work advancing Alzheimer’s awareness, caregiver support, and prevention education.   We also recognized Mark Roithmayr, recently retired CEO of the ADDF, with the Estelle Gelman Award for his transformative leadership and commitment to accelerating breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s research.   Guests enjoyed the annual Symposium to Conquer Alzheimer’s moderated by Andrea Mitchell and featuring Lauren Miller Rogen, Dr. Kellyann Niotis, and Dr. Roberta Diaz Brinton discussing Alzheimer’s prevention, emerging therapies, and the future of precision medicine, along with a stunning fashion show featuring designs by @altuzarra in collaboration with our fashion partner, @bloomingdales .   Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, this year’s event raised a record-breaking $920,000 to support our mission to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer’s.   Special thanks to our Event Founders, Elise and Marc Lefkowitz, Event Chair Charlie Lefkowitz, and our incredible event committee for their leadership and unwavering support.   Photo credit to @tonypowell1

Thank you for celebrating with us at our Ninth Annual Memories Matter event.   Together, we raised a record-breaking $1.5 million to support the ADDF’s mission to conquer Alzheimer’s and related dementias!   The fireside chat featuring @emmahemingwillis ; care partner, New York Times bestselling author of The Unexpected Journey, and Chief Impact Officer of Make Time Wellness; and Paula Zahn, nine-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, was a powerful moment. Emma’s poignant personal reflections on her family’s experience after her husband, beloved actor Bruce Willis, was diagnosed with FTD, resonated deeply with our community.   From opening remarks by Randal Sandler, Co-Vice Chair and Secretary of the ADDF’s Board of Governors, to reflections from Founding Chairs Stephanie Ginsberg and Wendy Wilshin, the evening highlighted the extraordinary scientific progress made over recent years and the growing community driving this work forward.

A new era of Alzheimer’s precision medicine starts with better diagnostics. The ADDF is launching the next phase of the #DiagnosticsAccelerator, backed by an additional $50 million and bringing the program’s total to $150 million. With DxA 3.0, we are expanding this vision to advance the next generation of biomarkers, including blood tests for tau and other co-pathologies, integrated multi-marker panels, and AI-driven tools capable of capturing the full biological complexity of Alzheimer’s disease. These innovations will be critical to accelerating drug development, enabling combination therapies, and moving the field toward precision medicine. Since its launch in 2018, the DxA has advanced the bold vision set forth by founding partners ADDF Co-Founder Leonard A. Lauder and Bill Gates: establishing a new gold standard for non-invasive and affordable biomarkers for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This phase includes continued commitments from @biogen_global , Dolby Family Ventures, @elilillyco , and the Shanahan Family Foundation, along with new support from the JTMF Foundation and the Robertson Foundation Link in bio!

Today, we are excited to welcome Isobel Coleman as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. With decades of leadership across philanthropy, public service, and the private sector, Isobel will help guide the ADDF as Alzheimer’s research enters a new era of progress. As momentum builds across a growing clinical pipeline and advances in diagnostics and prevention, the ADDF remains focused on accelerating new therapies and moving the field toward combination therapies and precision medicine for Alzheimer’s—an approach that has already transformed cancer care. Together with partners across biotech, academia, and philanthropy, we will continue investing in bold science to drive the next generation of breakthroughs for patients and families.

The ADDF continues to lead the charge in Alzheimer’s drug development — accelerating bold science and advancing next-generation therapies that move us closer to stopping this disease in its tracks. We’re proud to celebrate this momentous progress by sharing our 2025 Annual Report. Thanks to the unwavering support of our donors and partners, over the past year, we have advanced breakthrough diagnostics, supported innovative drug development, and pushed the field closer to combination therapies and precision medicine. Explore the impact in our 2025 Annual Report, available now at the link in our bio.

We’re thrilled to announce Dr. Randall J. Bateman of the Washington University School of Medicine as the recipient of this year’s Melvin R. Goodes Prize, which recognizes research with Nobel Prize–caliber impact that is revolutionizing how we treat Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Bateman embodies the spirit of the award through his groundbreaking science – from developing the first Alzheimer’s blood test with early ADDF support, to directing clinical trials that have redefined the timeline for intervention and advancing novel AI tools with the potential to transform how researchers combat this disease. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Bateman on this momentous achievement!

On November 13, the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) will honor Young Professionals Committee (YPC) member and ADDF advocate Michelle Florin Canarick with the Outstanding Volunteer Award at the YPC’s Fourth Annual House of Purple. Michelle and her family have long been champions of the ADDF with a deeply personal connection to Alzheimer’s. She shares why she is proud to be part of the YPC: “I’m proud to be part of the YPC because we’re empowering young people to learn, speak up, and take action in the fight against Alzheimer’s. This disease doesn’t only impact older generations—it affects families and people of all ages. By raising awareness and funding research, we’re driving progress toward prevention, better treatments, and a cure. The passion and determination of this group give me so much hope that the work we’re doing today will change lives for generations to come.”💜 Join us as we celebrate Michelle’s leadership and incredible dedication to a cause that continues to inspire us all. Get your tickets and donate today! Link in bio.

In honor of World Alzheimer’s Day on September 22, the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) invites you to an insightful discussion with ADDF scientific leaders Aaron Burstein, PharmD, Head of Search and Evaluation, and Melissa Lee, PhD, Director, Diagnostics Accelerator, as they discuss the latest in #Alzheimer's research in 2025 and beyond. From #AI to combination therapies, they’ll highlight the most promising science in the field and share the ADDF’s bold vision in advancing precision medicine with cutting-edge innovations in #therapeutics, #diagnostics, and #prevention programs worldwide. Together, we’re building a future where Alzheimer’s can be slowed, stopped, or even prevented before symptoms appear. Register today to secure your spot and join this timely conversation. Link in bio.

On Fridays show my sister Tracy talked about her husband Scott having early onset Alzheimer’s. This is Scott. He is one of the smartest people I know. And this disease sucks! We must find a cure and or it will affect your family too. Please consider the ADDF, whose goal is a cure. 100% of your donation money goes to that and not overhead of a charity like others. Alzheimer’s doesn’t get the attention that Cancer & Heart Disease does but it changes just as many lives. I love you Scott 💜 /about-addf

We are deeply saddened to share the passing of ADDF Co-Founder and Co-Chairman Leonard A. Lauder. Alongside his brother, Ronald S. Lauder, Leonard founded the ADDF in 1998 to honor his mother, Estée Lauder, who battled Alzheimer’s. At a time when research funding was scarce and few believed in the possibility of progress, the Lauder family brought vision, catalytic funding, and a bold new venture philanthropy model to Alzheimer’s drug discovery and development. Leonard’s impact has been immeasurable, and to honor his legacy we are reaffirming our commitment to our mission: advancing the very best science to conquer #Alzheimers.

The Fifteenth Annual Great Ladies Luncheon & Fashion Show was a special day of science, beauty, and fashion. We were thrilled to honor the ADDF’s own Dr. Howard Fillit with the Estelle Gelman Award in recognition of his more than 45 years of scientific leadership - during which he has touched the lives of countless patients and families. We were also delighted to honor Eisai with the Great Ladies Award, accepted on the company’s behalf by Amanda Goodwin, for their remarkable accomplishments in advancing Alzheimer’s research. Guests were treated to a fabulous TOCCIN fashion show, sponsored by our retail partner Saks, as well as a special scientific symposium, moderated by Andrea Mitchell and featuring Eisai’s Dr. Michael Irizzary and Dr. Howard Fillit. Sincere thanks to all of you for helping us make this year’s event such a success, raising nearly $800,000 to support our mission of accelerating the development of drugs to prevent, treat, and cure #Alzheimers disease. Photo credit to @tonypowell1

Thank you to all who joined us in Palm Beach this year to support the ADDF and learn about the world-class science we are advancing in pursuit of our mission to defeat Alzheimer’s! The fourth season of our Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs Today Scientific Symposium Series, held at The Society of the Four Arts, featured engaging talks on the latest in Alzheimer’s research from Drs. Nir Barzilai, Mark Mintun, and Rhoda Au. Special thanks to Heidi and Tom McWilliams, visionary founders of Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs Today.