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Skovronsky will be recognized for his extraordinary work with the Amyvid PET scan, the first FDA-approved diagnostic test for Alzheimer's.The Goodes Prize – referred to the Nobel Prize of Alzheimer's research – honors scientists making extraordinary and lasting contributions to the Alzheimer's field. NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) will present its 2025 Melvin R. Goodes Prize to Daniel M. Skovronsky, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Lilly, and President, Lilly Research Labs, at the Inaugural ADDF Scientific Summit on Wednesday, March 5th. Skovronsky will be recognized for his groundbreaking work to develop critical diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's in addition to his leadership in developing and commercializing Kisunla, one of the first disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer's patients. Continue Reading Daniel M. Skovronsky, MD, PhD, of Eli Lilly & Company, announced as the 2025 Melvin R. Goodes Prize The game-changing diagnostics developed with Skovronsky's help include the Amyvid PET scan, the first FDA-approved diagnostic test for Alzheimer's; the Tauvid PET scan, the first and only FDA-approved diagnostic for Tau in the brain; and a blood biomarker test for p-tau217 for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The Goodes Prize, referred to as the Nobel Prize of Alzheimer's research, is presented annually to a leading scientist to mark exceptional contributions to the Alzheimer's field. This international award was established by the late Melvin R. Goodes to advance critical science aimed at fighting Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. "Dan is the epitome of a Goodes Prize awardee, a leading scientist who has advanced innovative and bold ideas to transform how we diagnose and develop new treatments for Alzheimer's," said Howard Fillit, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer at the ADDF. "The Goodes Prize emphasizes our ongoing commitment to accelerating drug development for Alzheimer's and honors the legacy of Mel Goodes, a trailblazer in the pharmaceutical industry. We are thrilled to recognize Dan's outstanding work and partnership with the ADDF, which spans more than 20 years. His efforts to develop the Amyvid PET scan made recent Alzheimer's drug approvals possible, including Lilly's Kisunla, and will benefit patients now and for years to come." The Amyvid PET scan, which received early seed funding from the ADDF, is a brain imaging test that helps detect Alzheimer's disease by combining a positron emission tomography (PET) scan and an injection of Amyvid, a radioactive tracer. Amyvid was instrumental in the approval of the first disease-modifying Alzheimer's drugs – Aduhelm in 2021, Leqembi in 2023, and Kisunla in 2024 – providing the biomarker data needed for regulatory approval. "Over the past decade, we have witnessed remarkable advances in Alzheimer's research," said Dr. Daniel Skovronsky, Chief Scientific Officer, Lilly, and President, Lilly Research Labs. "It is my belief that through early detection and early intervention we can someday make Alzheimer's a preventable disease. I am deeply honored to receive the prestigious Goodes Prize award and look forward to joining fellow recipients who are leading the way in developing new treatments for Alzheimer's. The early support from the ADDF for my work, which aimed to revolutionize how we diagnose patients to ensure the right ones were included in our studies, was crucial to advancing the field, and I will always be grateful for that support." The Goodes Prize, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year in Stockholm with a program featuring Queen Silvia of Sweden and U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Erik Ramanathan, honors scientists who are leading new approaches to developing Alzheimer's therapeutics and diagnostics. "To have pioneering scientists like Dan who have received this award out there in the field, pushing research forward, is truly a gift," said Nancy Goodes, ADDF Board Member. "The breakthroughs being made in the name of the Goodes Prize are the most meaningful legacy for my husband." The 11th annual Goodes Prize will be presented at 6:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 during the inaugural ADDF Scientific Summit. This celebration of Alzheimer's science will be hosted by Dr. Howard Fillit and features a keynote address from Dr. Sanjay Gupta, MD, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, bestselling author and practicing neurosurgeon. The summit will highlight nine world-renowned scientists and recipients of the Melvin R. Goodes Prize discussing therapeutics, biomarkers, prevention, and what is coming next in the field. Skovronsky will be the latest to join the ranks of these accomplished scientists who have helped bring the biology of aging to the forefront of Alzheimer's research. "The Goodes Prize represents our mission to treat, prevent, and ultimately cure Alzheimer's disease," commented Mark Roithmayr, ADDF Chief Executive Officer. "We support one of the largest and most diverse clinical development portfolios for Alzheimer's disease, and pioneering research, like Dan's, is critical to our goal of driving meaningful innovation and change 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, who channeled his unique knowledge of the drug industry into Alzheimer's advocacy after being diagnosed with the disease. The award recognizes individual researchers whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of Alzheimer's, paving the way for potential breakthroughs in treatment and prevention. Previous Goodes Prize recipients have demonstrated tremendous innovation and perseverance in the quest for effective treatment options for Alzheimer's. Internationally lauded as the highest recognition in Alzheimer's research, the Goodes Prize has helped move the field forward by facilitating thought provoking discussions among leading scientists from academia, industry, and philanthropy in pursuit of a future free of Alzheimer's. 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: . 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Drug reviewers at the European Medicines Agency have given a thumbs up for Merck's PAH drug Winrevair and a second thumbs down to Apellis' geographic atrophy treatment Syfovre. For the second time in six months, Europe’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has given a thumbs down to Apellis’ Syfovre for the treatment of patients with geographic atrophy (GA) caused by age-related macular degeneration. In a release, Apellis noted that there were “multiple dissenting votes” by CHMP members to the opinion. The company added that it plans to seek a reexamination of the opinion, with a final decision expected in the fourth quarter of this year. “Although the studies showed that Syfovre slowed the growth of geographic atrophy lesions, this did not lead to clinically meaningful benefits for patients,” the CHMP said. “It was noted that benefits of a treatment should impact patients’ everyday functioning, and this was not demonstrated in the studies.” “In terms of safety,” the CHMP continued, “regular injections into the eye carry a significant risk of adverse events, including the development of other forms of AMD or inflammation in the eye, that could further worsen vision.”  In January of this year, the CHMP adopted its first negative opinion on Syfovre. The drug was approved by the FDA in February of 2023 and generated $275 million in sales last year despite early reports of inflammation for some users. In May, the company said that it holds an 85% share of the market in GA, but admitted to challenges with its launch. In the indication, Apellis is competing with Astellas’ Izervay, which has filed for approval in Europe. Mizuho Securities analyst Graig Suvannavejh noted that there was a 5% drop in Apellis' share price on Friday morning. "There have yet to be data convincingly demonstrating Syfovre use leading to clear, clinically meaningful functional benefit," Suvannavejh wrote in a note to clients. "Moreover, from a drug approval perspective, we view the European Medicines Agency as typically more conservative than the FDA. As such, we lower our probability of success for Syfovre's EU approval from 20% to 10%." Other CHMP rejections Syfovre was not the only drug that was beaten back by the CHMP more than once. The European drug reviewers have once again recommended not renewing the marketing authorization for PTC Therapeutics’ Translarna as a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This negative opinion follows the European Commission’s May decision to not adopt the CHMP’s negative opinion from January. By that time, The CHMP had already reviewed and declined to renew the drug’s conditional nod twice. According to PTC, the scientific advisory group convened for the latest review concluded that the evidence of significant efficacy provided by the STRIDE trial "should not be ignored." And yet, the agency still maintained its previous stance. Now, PTC plans to request a reexamination of the CHMP’s third opinion. After that, the European Commission will make a decision. Based on the timeline of these procedures, PTC said it expects Translarna to remain on the market through the end of 2024 even if the negative opinion holds. Elsewhere, the CHMP also refused to recommend a marketing authorization for AB Science’s masitinib, a treatment for the nervous system disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The France-based company said it will ask for a reexamination. The CHMP also recommended that the marketing authorization for Advanz's Ocaliva be revoked for the treatment of patients with primary biliary cholangitis. Positive CHMP opinions Meanwhile, the CHMP this week issued positive recommendations for several therapies, including Merck’s blockbuster-to-be Winrevair for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Winrevair, which gained a high-profile approval from the FDA in March, is the first disease-modifying treatment for the condition. Winrevair, which was acquired by Merck in an $11.5 billion buyout of Acceleron in 2021, has been pegged by J.P Morgan analyst Chris Schott to achieve peak sales between $3 billion and $4 billion. The CHMP also recommended ARS Pharmaceuticals’ marketing application for the adrenaline nasal spray Eurneffy to be approved. It would become the first needle-free adrenaline option in Europe for the treatment of emergency Type 1 allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), which include those to food and insect bites. ARS expects to receive authorization from the EU in the third quarter and to launch Eurneffy in the fourth quarter. The company also hopes for approval of the product from the FDA, with a decision date set for October 2 of this year. The CHMP recommended Johnson & Johnson’s Balversa for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic urothelial carcinoma, a type of bladder cancer. The FDA signed off on Balversa in the indication in January of this year, turning a 2019 accelerated approval into a full nod. Moderna’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine mRasvia has made the grade with the CHMP, too, gaining a recommendation for adults ages 60 and older. The shot, which was approved by the FDA four weeks ago, is the first mRNA vaccine targeting a pathogen other than the coronavirus to receive a positive opinion from the CHMP. Regeneron’s CD20xCD3 bispecific T-cell engager Ordspono (odronestamab) netted a positive opinion from the CHMP to treat two types of blood cancers—follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The thumbs up comes three months after the FDA sent two complete response letters to Regeneron for the same indications, questioning the timelines of the company’s confirmatory trials. The CHMP recommended Roche’s Piasky (crovalimab) for marketing authorization, just four days after the FDA endorsed it for patients age 13 and older with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), a rare, genetic life-threatening disorder of the immune system that causes premature breakdown of the red blood cells. The CHMP also has issued a positive opinion on Eli Lilly’s Tauvid (flortaucipir), the first drug used to image a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain called tau pathology. The FDA signed off on Tauvid four weeks ago. Also making the grade from the CHMP was Celltrion’s Steqeyma, which is a biosimilar of J&J’s Stelara. It has been recommended for patients with Crohn’s disease, plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.