The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation Commemorates Twelfth Annual Fall Symposium and Luncheon

The ADDF Celebrates a Decade of Leadership and Support by Howard & Mitchell Kaneff

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) hosted its 12^th Annual Fall Symposium and Luncheon virtually on Thursday, October 28, raising $1.2 million for drug development research to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer's disease.

Hosted by nine-time Emmy Award winner, journalist, and ADDF board member Paula Zahn, the virtual celebration honored Howard Kaneff, Chairman Emeritus, and Mitchell Kaneff, Chairman and CEO, of Arkay Packaging with the Charles Evans Award for Leadership and awarded the Melvin R. Goodes Prize to Miia Kivipelto, MD, PhD, 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 in Stockholm, Sweden. The virtual event featured ADDF Co-Founders and Co-Chairmen Leonard A. Lauder and Ronald S. Lauder.

Howard and Mitchell Kaneff Honored with the 2021 Charles Evans Award for Leadership

The Charles Evans Award was presented to Howard and Mitchell Kaneff for their leadership in support of the prevention, treatment, and cure of Alzheimer’s disease. Arkay is a three-generation family-run business that has provided packaging for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and health and beauty industries, including Estee Lauder Companies, for over nine decades. Howard and Mitchell are both esteemed supporters of the ADDF and Mitchell currently serves on the ADDF’s Board of Overseers.

Leonard Lauder offered praise for the Kaneffs and their decades of support. “I’ve known Howard and Mitchell for several decades, both as dear friends and respected business partners. When Howard’s late wife and Mitchell’s mother, Cherry, started experiencing Alzheimer’s symptoms, there was no definitive way to receive a diagnosis. Thanks to the ADDF and support of steadfast supporters, like the Kaneffs, that is no longer the case – we now have the diagnostic tools to provide patients and families with the answers they deserve.”

“I'm incredibly honored and humbled, as I know my father is, to accept the 2021 Charles Evans Award,” said Mitchell. “As an ADDF board member and someone whose lost a loved one to Alzheimer’s, I am grateful to be part of an organization that is playing a key role in driving progress in new diagnostic tools and therapies.”

“When I heard that we were going to receive the Charles Evans Award, I was thrilled,” added Howard. “I first became acquainted with the ADDF through my dear friend, Leonard Lauder, over twenty years ago and today, my son is on the board and playing a key role in raising financial support to further critical research.” 

Dr. Miia Kivipelto Awarded the 2021 Melvin R. Goodes Prize for Innovative Research

The 2021 Melvin R. Goodes Prize, an annual award given by the ADDF to leading researchers making important strides towards the development of effective treatments and a cure for Alzheimer’s, was awarded to Dr. Kivipelto. The Goodes Prize was established in 2015 by Mel Goodes, an honorary member of ADDF’s Board of Governors, and Nancy Goodes, a member of the ADDF’s Board of Governors.

The Goodes Prize includes a $150,000 award and will support Dr. Kivipelto’s continued research on prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of cognitive impairment, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Introducing the award, Nancy Goodes said, “When we first launched the Goodes Prize our goal was to honor Mel and his legacy in the drug development field, while also supporting cutting-edge science championed by the ADDF, and this award does just that. We are delighted to present this year’s Goodes Prize to Dr. Kivipelto, whose monumental work with the FINGER trial has transformed how we view lifestyle interventions for Alzheimer’s prevention.”

Dr. Kivipelto expressed her gratitude for the honor, “On behalf of my team and me, I am incredibly honored to receive such prestigious recognition, which also provides validation for the multidomain prevention model that targets both several risk factors and mechanisms. This award is especially significant as Mel Goodes, a prominent leader in the pharmaceuticals industry, and his work positively impacted numerous patients. Receiving an award in Mel and Nancy’s name is an inspiration as we continue with our research into the prevention of Alzheimer’s.”

Dr. Kivipelto joined another remarkable scientist at the annual symposium. Moderated by the ADDF’s Founding Executive Director and Chief Science Officer, Dr. Howard Fillit, Dr. Kivipelto was joined by Miranda Orr, PhD, Assistant Professor of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, for a panel titled The State of Alzheimer’s Prevention: What Can You Do Today?

The Fall Symposium and Luncheon would not have been possible without the generous support of many contributors and donors: including: Melanie Goodes Caceres, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., Nancy and Melvin R. Goodes, Kiera and Christopher Johnson, Howard Kaneff, Mitchell Kaneff, Judy and Leonard A. Lauder, Gary and Laura Lauder, William P. Lauder and Lori Kanter Tritsch, Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder, Susan and Tom Lowder, Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation, Sharon T. Sager and J. Loring Swasey, Liz and Randal Sandler, and David R. Weinreb.

The ADDF also acknowledges Lilly for underwriting the Scientific Symposium portion of the event.

The full event can be enjoyed online here.