Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation Honors Dr. Randall J. Bateman of Wash U and Deborah Krulewitch of the Estée Lauder Companies at Sixteenth Annual Fall Symposium and Luncheon

New York, NY, – October 29, 2026 – The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) hosted its Sixteenth Annual Fall Symposium and Luncheon on Monday, October 26, 2026, at The Pierre in New York City, raising over $1.4 million to advance its mission of accelerating the development of drugs to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer’s disease.  

Hosted by nine-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and ADDF board member Paula Zahn, the event brought together world-renowned scientists, industry leaders, and supporters to celebrate advances in Alzheimer’s research and honor three individuals for their exceptional scientific and philanthropic contributions: Randall J. Bateman, MD; Howard Fillit, MD; and Deborah Krulewitch.

The Melvin R. Goodes Prize for Excellence in Drug Development annually recognizes a pioneering scientist whose work has made an exceptional contribution to the field. Daniel M. Skovronsky, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific and Product Officer and President of Lilly Research Laboratories at Eli Lilly and Company and last year’s Goodes Prize recipient, awarded this year’s prize to Dr. Bateman, Charles F. and Joanne Knight Professor of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The award recognized Dr. Bateman’s groundbreaking contributions to Alzheimer’s diagnostics and clinical trials, as well as his work harnessing artificial intelligence to accelerate research.

“It is a tremendous honor to receive the Goodes Prize,” said Dr. Bateman. “The ADDF has been an instrumental partner in advancing innovative approaches, recognizing early on the importance of biomarkers in transforming how we detect and treat Alzheimer’s disease. This award is a testament to the power of bold science and the collaboration needed to turn discoveries into meaningful progress for patients.”

The ADDF’s Co-Founder and Chairman, Ronald S. Lauder, presented the 2026 Charles Evans Award to Dr. Fillit, recognizing his decades of scientific leadership and pivotal contributions to the ADDF and the Alzheimer’s field at large.

“When we decided to take on Alzheimer’s, we knew we needed someone who understood the science,” said Lauder. “Howard believed, long before almost anyone else, that Alzheimer’s could be treated, and one day, prevented. Together, we changed the course of Alzheimer’s research.”

Accepting the award, Dr. Fillit reflected on the ADDF’s impact and future: “The ADDF has been far more than a professional chapter for me. It has been a defining part of my life. What began as a bold idea has grown into an internationally recognized organization with a distinct and catalytic role in the Alzheimer’s research and funding landscape. As I look ahead, I am confident that the groundwork we have laid positions the ADDF to help define the next generation of Alzheimer’s drugs and diagnostics.”

Deborah Krulewitch received the Visionary Partner Award from Phebe Farrow Port, ADDF board member and Senior Vice President of Global Management Strategies at The Estée Lauder Companies, in recognition of her decades of advocacy and extraordinary dedication to the ADDF.

“It has been a privilege to watch what Leonard, Ronald, and Howard began grow into the organization we celebrate today,” said Krulewitch upon receiving the award. “Leonard was so proud of the ADDF, and as the ADDF enters a new era, it is wonderful to see those same values guiding its future. I’m grateful to have played a part in its beginnings and excited to see all that this community will make possible in the years ahead.”

Preceding the luncheon, ADDF Chief Executive Officer Isobel Coleman moderated “A New Era for Alzheimer’s Science: Digital Measures, AI, and Precision Medicine,” a scientific symposium exploring the breakthroughs poised to shape the next decade of Alzheimer’s research. The panel featured Rhoda Au, PhD, MBA, Professor of Epidemiology at the Boston University School of Public Health, Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, and recipient of the 2023 Goodes Prize; Kuan-lin Huang, PhD, Associate Professor of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; and Dr. Bateman.

Notable guests in attendance included: Randall Bateman, Stephane De La Faverie, Bambi Felberbaum, Judy and Alan Fishman, Olivia Flatto, Nancy Goodes, Jane Hudis, Howard Fillit, Mitch Kaneff, Julia Koch, Deborah Krulewitch, Ronald S. Lauder and Jo Carole Lauder, Judy Glickman Lauder, Gary and Laura Lauder, Josh and Katherine Lauder, Bonnie Lautenberg, Heidi and Tom McWilliams, Liz and Randal Sandler, Dan Skovronsky, Martha Webster, and Paula Zahn, among other ADDF supporters.

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 development 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 nearly $400 million to fund 792 Alzheimer's drug development, biomarker, and prevention programs in 21 countries. To learn more, please visit:  http://www.alzdiscovery.org/. 

About the Melvin R. Goodes Prize for Excellence in Drug Development 

The Melvin R. Goodes Prize for Excellence in Drug Development was established in 2015 in honor of Melvin R. Goodes, former CEO of Warner-Lambert Company, to honor scientists whose work has made exceptional and lasting contributions to the development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and preventive strategies for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Widely regarded as the highest recognition in Alzheimer’s research, the Goodes Prize celebrates bold, innovative science that has fundamentally advanced the field and accelerated progress toward effective treatments and prevention. The Prize reflects the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation’s commitment to advancing rigorous, biology-driven research and fostering the collaborations needed to change the course of Alzheimer’s disease.