HAWTHORNE, N.Y., Apr 26, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that Andrew R. Blight, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, is the recipient of the Inaugural Purchase College Scientific Entrepreneurship Award. The award recognizes individuals for their scientific excellence, ability to integrate science with business, vision and innovation, social responsibility and providing a positive role model for future generations. Dr. Blight was selected by a panel of Purchase College science faculty in partnership with the Westchester County Association.
“Andy is a rare scientist who, having made seminal contributions to his field academically, chose to enter industry so that his work could be applied directly to the benefit of patients,” said Ron Cohen, M.D., President and CEO of Acorda Therapeutics. “Andy blends great scientific rigor and insight with a deep sense of humanism. Andy’s work has already helped to deliver a novel medication that helps improve walking in people suffering with multiple sclerosis. I am thrilled that Purchase College has publicly recognized his unique abilities, which we at Acorda have long admired.”
Dr. Blight is a leader in spinal cord injury (SCI) research and has made several important contributions to the field, particularly on the role of demyelination in SCI. He pioneered the therapeutic application of 4-amimopyridine in SCI, which contributed to Acorda Therapeutics’ development of the recently FDA-approved therapy AMPRYA(TM) (dalfampridine) Extended Release Tablets, 10 mg.
