Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation Launches Milestones in Motion Campaign and Announces Fifth Season of Symposium Series in Palm Beach

PALM BEACH, Fla., Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of Alzheimer's Awareness Month this November, the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) is taking bold steps forward in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. The ADDF proudly announces Milestones in Motion, a new initiative inviting visionary support for the Foundation's groundbreaking scientific portfolio. This campaign marks a strategic shift from the organization's traditional fundraising dinner to a movement focused on sustained impact and investment in cutting-edge research.

Co-chairs for the Milestones in Motion campaign include Palm Beach residents Heidi McWilliams, Bonnie Lautenberg, Nancy Goodes, Silvia Zoullas, and Ann Jackson.

The launch of Milestones in Motion coincides with the fifth season of the ADDF's popular scientific symposium series, Tomorrow's Breakthroughs Today, held at The Society of the Four Arts. This season's programs, presented by the ADDF in partnership with Heidi and Tom McWilliams, will once again feature Howard Fillit, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of the ADDF, in dynamic conversations with leading scientists whose pioneering work is shaping the path to new, cutting-edge treatments for Alzheimer's and related dementias.

"When Leonard and Ronald Lauder founded the ADDF nearly three decades ago, there was little hope for those affected by Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Fillit. "Today, we are witnessing remarkable progress—disease-modifying drugs, accessible blood tests, and proven steps for prevention—and the ADDF's fingerprints can be seen on every one of those advancements."

Today, more than 6.9 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, a number expected to double by 2060 without effective prevention or treatment. This growing public health crisis underscores the urgent need for bold scientific innovation and sustained collaboration across academia, industry, and philanthropy. From investing early in high-risk, high-reward research to supporting the development of innovative diagnostics and therapeutics, the ADDF continues to lead the charge toward a world without Alzheimer's. Milestones in Motion celebrates this progress and underscores the need for continued support to accelerate the next generation of discoveries.

"We are in a new era of optimism," said Mark Roithmayr, CEO of the ADDF. "The milestones we've reached are not just symbolic—they are changing lives. But the work is far from over. With each advancement, we get closer to a future where Alzheimer's is not only treatable but preventable."

For more information about the campaign, please visit milestones.alzdiscovery.org.

Details on the 2025–2026 Palm Beach Symposium Series:

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025, 3:00 PM
"Regenerating the Aging Brain," featuring Roberta Diaz Brinton, PhD
Dr. Roberta Diaz Brinton, Inaugural Director of the Center for Innovation in Brain Science at University of Arizona Health Sciences, will present recent findings from her phase 2 clinical trial using allopregnanolone (a neurosteroid derived from progesterone) to stimulate neurogenesis and restore lost cognitive function in Alzheimer's patients. The ADDF has supported Dr. Brinton's work since 2004 and awarded her the Melvin R. Goodes Prize in 2017.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2026, 3:00 PM
"How Blood Tests Are Transforming Alzheimer's Patient Care," featuring Joel Braunstein, MD, MBA
Dr. Joel Braunstein, CEO of C2N Diagnostics, will discuss innovations in Alzheimer's blood testing. With support from ADDF, C2N brought the first Alzheimer's blood test to market and is now developing the next-generation PrecivityAD2™ platform to enable global access to precision medicine tools. These advances allow earlier more accurate diagnosis—and empower healthcare providers to intervene sooner.

MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2026, 3:00 PM
"Advancing Biomarkers, Facilitating Alzheimer's Breakthroughs," featuring Danielle Graham, PhD
Dr. Danielle Graham, Head of Biomarkers & Systems Biology at Biogen, will explain how novel biomarkers enable precisely targeted clinical trials and patient enrollment. These tools help ensure only the right patients are tested with a given therapy—accelerating drug development and increasing the odds of success.

All lectures are $20 (free for Four Arts members). To learn more about Milestones in Motion or to support the ADDF's mission, please visit www.alzdiscovery.org.

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 $370 million to fund 765 Alzheimer's drug discovery programs, biomarker programs and clinical trials in 21 countries. To learn more, please visit:  http://www.alzdiscovery.org/.

SOURCE Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation