Yancopoulos and his team were recently honored with the 2013 Burke Award at a reception in Rye last week. Yancopoulos is the founding scientist and president of the Tarrytown-based Regeneron and was among three receiving the award.
"Burke is pleased to honor Dr. Yancopoulos for his work investigating new therapeutic approaches for treating neurological disorders," Mary Beth Walsh, chief executive officer of the Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in White Plaind, said in a news release. "He and his company, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, have made significant scientific contributions to those with debilitating diseases such as multiple sclerosis."
Yancopoulos is the principal inventor and developer of Regeneron's FDA-approved drugs, which are primarily used by people who have neurological disorders, as well as cancer, according to the release. Yancopoulos worked with Dr. Glen Prusky, director of the Center for Vision Rehabilitation at Burke and the two developed Regeneron's newest drug EYLEA, which is indicated for the treatment of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
This year's honorees join previous recipients U.S. Rep Nita Lowey, the late actor and medical research activist Christopher Reeve, Paralympic gold medalist Sarah Will and 9/11 survivor Lauren Manning, according to the release.
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