The Lauder Family’s Vision and Catalytic Funding Through the ADDF Helped Seed and Transform the Alzheimer’s Research Landscape
NEW YORK, June 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — It is with deep sorrow and profound admiration that the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) shares the passing of Co-Founder and Chairman, Leonard A. Lauder. A visionary philanthropist, cosmetics industry icon, and steadfast champion in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, Lauder’s legacy is woven into the very fabric of the ADDF and the progress it has driven toward understanding, treating, and ultimately curing Alzheimer’s.
“Leonard Lauder was a once-in-a-generation visionary whose leadership, along with his brother Ronald, reshaped the Alzheimer’s research landscape,” said Dr. Howard Fillit, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of the ADDF. “From the very beginning, Leonard understood that Alzheimer’s does not just impact the patient, it affects entire families. The Lauder family recognized the emotional, financial, and societal toll of this disease, and built the ADDF to accelerate the discovery and development of treatments that could change the trajectory for patients and their loved ones. Leonard’s vision, generosity, and humanity spanned across his business acumen to his philanthropic endeavors, touching countless lives, and his legacy will endure in every breakthrough we help bring forward.”
Lauder and his brother, Ronald S. Lauder, co-founded the ADDF in 1998 with Dr. Fillit in honor of their mother, Estee Lauder’s, battle with Alzheimer’s. At a time when Alzheimer’s research funding was sparse and interest from the private sector limited, the Lauder family recognized the urgent need for treatments and created a bold new venture philanthropy model to achieve this mission, combining the rigor of scientific research with the agility and entrepreneurialism of venture capital.
For over more than 27 years, the Lauders’ leadership helped shape the ADDF into the world’s leading philanthropic funder of drug discovery and development research. Under the Lauders’ guidance, the ADDF has:
- Invested more than $370 million into over 765 drug discovery programs across 21 countries
- Catalyzed more than $3 billion in follow-on funding from pharmaceutical companies, venture capital firms, and government agencies, helping to de-risk early-stage science and attract broader investment into Alzheimer’s research
- Played a pivotal role in the development of the first biomarkers for Alzheimer’s by providing early seed funding for Amyvid, the first FDA-approved PET scan for Alzheimer’s; PrecivityAD, the first Alzheimer’s blood test to market; and Lumipulse, the first Alzheimer’s blood test to receive FDA approval
- Established the Diagnostics Accelerator (DxA) in partnership with Bill Gates and other visionary philanthropists to advance affordable, accessible diagnostic tools, a critical step toward earlier detection and intervention
- Advanced a diverse pipeline of treatments by pioneering the biology of aging approach, now central to the field, with over 70% of drugs targeting disease pathways such as inflammation, neuroprotection, vascular health, and synaptic function, paving the way for Alzheimer’s to be treated with combination therapy and precision medicine, as in cancer
- Brought forward a precision prevention approach, combining lifestyle interventions and therapeutics to slow the progression or prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s altogether
Through all these achievements, Lauder and his family remained deeply committed to the ADDF’s mission.
“Leonard’s impact on the ADDF, and on the field of Alzheimer’s research more broadly, is immeasurable,” said Mark Roithmayr, Chief Executive Officer of the ADDF. “He brought a sense of urgency to this work that pushed us all to do more and move faster. He believed that patients and families deserve better and he committed himself fully to building a world in which effective treatments are not only possible, but inevitable. His leadership, his generosity, and his humanity will continue to guide the ADDF’s mission every day.”
Lauder’s impact extended across business, culture, and philanthropy. Yet for those who worked alongside him at the ADDF, he will be remembered most for his compassion, clarity of purpose, and unwavering belief in progress. He understood that Alzheimer’s is a deeply human and societal challenge, one affecting memory, identity, and dignity.
The ADDF honors Lauder’s legacy by reaffirming our commitment to conquer Alzheimer’s for the millions of patients and families living with this devastating disease.
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
