# Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in New York, United States. ## Overview - **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation - **Headquarters:** New York, United States - **Region:** North America - **Address:** 57 West 57th Street, Suite 904, New York, NY 10019, United States - **Founded:** 1998 - **Assets under management:** <$100M (Altss estimate) - **Website:** alzdiscovery.org - **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/alzheimer's-drug-discovery-foundation ## Regulatory record - **Reports private funds:** No ## About The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) launched in 1998, founded by Leonard A. Lauder and Ronald S. Lauder with Dr. Howard Fillit serving as Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer. The Lauder brothers, whose wealth originates from The Estée Lauder Companies, structured ADDF as a venture philanthropy nonprofit — distinct from grant-making foundations that fund basic research on a purely charitable basis. ADDF exclusively funds drug discovery and development for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, spanning early-stage seed investments, start-up ventures, and general venture funding. The organization deploys capital through a mission-related investment portfolio alongside traditional grants, with a geographic footprint that reaches research programs in over 20 countries. ADDF's Diagnostics Accelerator initiative — co-funded by Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and MacKenzie Scott — exemplifies the foundation's ability to syndicate alongside prominent technology philanthropists. The foundation maintains its headquarters at 57 West 57th Street in New York. The foundation reports having granted roughly $250 million across more than 750 research programs since inception. ADDF's professional network connects into venues such as the Economic Club of New York and the James Beard Foundation through board member Sharon Sager, who also holds YPO membership. May 2024: ADDF hosted its annual Fourteenth Annual Great Ladies Luncheon & Fashion Show, which raised $1 million for research into women and Alzheimer's, featuring prominent Estée Lauder executives and philanthropic networks (per Women's Wear Daily, May 2024). ADDF operates with a singular structural advantage: it applies a venture capital diligence framework to a nonprofit mission, evaluating drug candidates on scientific rigor and market viability rather than distributing grants passively. This hybrid model — philanthropy governed by return-seeking investment discipline — allows ADDF to syndicate with both family offices and major tech philanthropists on initiatives such as the Diagnostics Accelerator, creating a co-investment vehicle that sits outside traditional academic funding channels. ## Sectors - Digital Health - Healthcare Services ## People - Isobel Coleman — Chief Executive Officer - Howard Fillit — Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer - Leonard A. Lauder — Co-Founder - Ronald S. Lauder — Co-Founder ## Questions ### Who runs investment decisions at the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation? Investment and grant decisions are led by Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer Dr. Howard Fillit, a board-certified geriatrician and neuroscientist. Dr. Fillit joined the Lauder brothers in founding ADDF in 1998 and oversees the scientific review process. Final funding authority rests with the board, co-chaired by Leonard and Ronald Lauder. ### How does ADDF source proprietary deal flow? ADDF sources opportunities through a global network of academic medical centers, biotech incubators, and direct relationships with researchers in over 20 countries. The foundation's Diagnostics Accelerator, co-funded by Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and MacKenzie Scott, operates as a separate inbound channel for biomarker and diagnostic-platform investments. ADDF's chief science officer and scientific review board also maintain active conference and publishing presences that generate referrals. ### What investment stages does ADDF typically target? ADDF targets the earliest stages of drug development — seed, start-up, and early venture rounds — explicitly filling the translational gap between laboratory discovery and clinical trials. The foundation's grants and equity investments support Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies, Phase I safety trials, and early proof-of-concept clinical work in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. ### Where does ADDF's underlying capital come from? ADDF was initially capitalized by Leonard and Ronald Lauder, whose wealth derives from The Estée Lauder Companies — the publicly traded cosmetics conglomerate their mother founded. The foundation has since diversified its funding base to include major technology philanthropists, with Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott, and Bill Gates all co-funding the Diagnostics Accelerator initiative alongside the Lauders' contributions. ### How is ADDF related to The Estée Lauder Companies? ADDF has no formal corporate relationship with The Estée Lauder Companies, but its founding capital originated from the Lauder family's Estée Lauder fortune. Leonard A. Lauder serves as Chairman Emeritus of the cosmetics company and his brother Ronald S. Lauder is Chairman of Clinique Laboratories — both Estée Lauder subsidiaries. The Lauder family's philanthropic network provides ongoing fundraising access, but ADDF operates independently from the corporate entity. ## Related profiles - [ALLETE](https://altss.com/profile/allete-inc) - [Barra Foundation](https://altss.com/profile/barra-foundation) --- Last updated: 2026-08-11T02:43:31.692Z Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/alzheimer-s-drug-discovery-foundation Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology