MetLife Foundation Announces Major Awards to Scientists for Research in Alzheimer's Disease

Business Wire, Feb 29, 2008

WASHINGTON -- Note to media: To listen in on the research briefing and hear this year's honorees discuss their work, as well as share thoughts on the future of research on Alzheimer's disease, a teleconference dial-in has been arranged: 800-230-1096. The briefing will take place between the hours of 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EST on Friday, February 29.

The winners of the annual MetLife Foundation Awards for Medical Research in Alzheimer's Disease were announced in Washington, D.C. today. Awards were made at a special scientific briefing and luncheon to three scientists who have all individually made significant contributions to the understanding of Alzheimer's by shedding light on beta-secretase and gamma-secretase enzyme activities in the brain - enzymes that play an important role in Alzheimer's disease. Bart De Strooper, M.D., Ph.D. of Belgium's K.U.Leuven and VIB-Institute for his work on the cell biology of the amyloid precursor protein and gamma-secretase; Robert J. Vassar, Ph.D. of Northwestern University for his research on the beta-secretase enzyme and molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease; and Philip C. Wong, Ph.D. of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for his work on molecular mechanisms and experimental therapies for Alzheimer's disease.

Since 1986, MetLife Foundation has granted major awards to scientists who have demonstrated significant contributions to the understanding of Alzheimer's disease. At the heart of the awards program is a strong belief in the importance of basic research, with an emphasis on providing scientists with the opportunity to pursue their ideas. Each of the winners will receive a $25,000 personal award, in addition to a $175,000 award to each of their institutions, to further their research.

"The aging of the population means, unfortunately, that the impact of Alzheimer's will increase in the coming years," said C. Robert Henrikson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of MetLife, Inc. "The impact of Alzheimer's on families, society, and the economy is why MetLife Foundation has been committed for over 20 years to the search for a cure."

Worldwide, some 24 million people have dementia, with Alzheimer's disease being the most common cause of dementia. The social, emotional, and economic consequences of Alzheimer's are staggering, and are expected to grow in the years to come, particularly in countries with large Baby Boomer populations, such as the United States. There are more than 5 million people with Alzheimer's in the United States alone. Direct and indirect annual costs of caring for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, including Medicare and Medicaid costs and the indirect cost to business of employees who are caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's, amount to more than $148 billion annually, according to estimates used by the Alzheimer's Association.

"These awards are an investment in the future. Scientists represent our best hope for one day finding the causes and treatments for Alzheimer's," said Sibyl Jacobson, president, MetLife Foundation. "We thank the awardees for their important contributions to the understanding of Alzheimer's and commend their continued dedication to scientific research."

The event's keynote speech was delivered by noted actor, author, and Alzheimer's advocate Kate Mulgrew. The popular actress, who has appeared on television, stage and screen, mostly notably as Captain Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek- Voyager, has had a long-standing commitment to Alzheimer's and is a member of the Alzheimer's Association National Advisory Board. She was recently featured in the National Alzheimer's Association awareness campaign. Her recollections of her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, are found in the recently published book, Voices of Alzheimer's.

The awards program began with a research briefing, where the award recipients discussed their work. The briefing was moderated by Robert N. Butler, M.D., president and chief executive officer of the International Longevity Center - USA, and Professor of Geriatrics, Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Butler is the chair of the MetLife Foundation's Research Committee and also the founding director of the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health.

"As the population ages, research on Alzheimer's disease has never been more important," said Dr. Butler. "If unchecked, the medical and caregiving costs could very well make Alzheimer's the most significant disease of this century. However, it's the personal costs that are truly staggering, because Alzheimer's gradually robs individuals of the person that they once knew. Through this annual award, MetLife Foundation has demonstrated sustained support for scientists working to unravel the mystery of Alzheimer's, by providing leading scientists with the funds to freely pursue their ideas and attest to the progress and promise of research."

About the Award for Medical Research Winners

Dr. De Strooper is head of the VIB Department of Molecular and Developmental Genetics, K.U.Leuven (Belgium) where he operates the Laboratory of Neuronal Cell Biology. A recipient of the Potamkin Prize, the Alois Alzheimer's Award and the Pioneer Award from the Alzheimer's Association, Dr. De Strooper's multinational research group has shown the central role of presenilin in the production of amyloid beta in brain cells and the essential role of presenilin in the cleavage of the Notch protein, a major regulator of brain and immune function.