UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

ACORDA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

420 Saw Mill River Road

Ardsley, New York 10502

(914) 347-4300

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

Ron Cohen, M.D.

Chief Executive Officer

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc.

420 Saw Mill River Road

Ardsley, New York 10502

(914) 347-4300

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

Copy To

Ellen B. Corenswet

Covington & Burling LLP

The New York Times Building

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, New York 10018

(212) 841-1000

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

PROSPECTUS

ACORDA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Units

We may offer under this prospectus from time to time, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time we make the offer, our:

You should read this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and free writing prospectus, together with any documents we incorporate by reference, before you invest in our securities. The prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may also add to, update, supplement or clarify information contained in this prospectus. This prospectus may not be used to sell our securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “ACOR.”

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” on page 7, as well as in the applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, before making a decision to invest in our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We may offer and sell the securities described in this prospectus to or through one or more agents, underwriters, dealers or other third parties or directly to one or more purchasers on a continuous or delayed basis. If we use any agents, underwriters or dealers to sell the securities described in this prospectus, we will name them and describe their compensation in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of our securities offered through this prospectus and the net proceeds we expect to receive from the sale of such securities will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.

The date of this prospectus is August 8, 2018.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, using an automatic shelf registration procedure. Under this shelf process, we may, from time to time, offer or sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.

This prospectus only provides you with a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time we offer to sell securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will describe in a prospectus supplement, which will be delivered with this prospectus, specific information about the offering and the terms of the particular securities offered. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change the information contained in this prospectus. Before purchasing any securities described in this prospectus, you should carefully read both this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us, together with the additional information described under “Where You Can Find More Information.”

This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For a more complete understanding of the offering of the securities described in this prospectus, you should refer to the registration statement, including its exhibits. Those exhibits may be filed with the registration statement or may be incorporated by reference to earlier SEC filings listed in the registration statement or in subsequent filings that we may make under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, the accompanying prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus that we have prepared which relates to a particular offering. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or additional information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell or soliciting an offer to buy these securities under any circumstance in any jurisdiction where the offer or solicitation is not permitted. You should assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus that we have prepared is accurate only as of the date of the respective document in which the information appears, and that any information in documents that we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or any sale of a security. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

We and our subsidiaries own several registered trademarks in the U.S. and in other countries. These registered trademarks include, in the U.S., the marks “Acorda Therapeutics,” our stylized Acorda Therapeutics logo, “Biotie Therapies,” “Ampyra” “Qutenza” and “ARCUS.” Also, our mark “Fampyra” is a registered mark in the European Community Trademark Office and we have registrations or pending applications for this mark in other jurisdictions. Our trademark portfolio also includes several registered trademarks and pending trademark applications (e.g., “Inbrija”) in the U.S. and worldwide for potential product names or for disease awareness activities. Third party trademarks, trade names, and service marks used in this report are the property of their respective owners.

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OUR COMPANY

We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies that restore function and improve the lives of people with neurological disorders. We market two FDA-approved therapies, including Ampyra (dalfampridine) Extended Release Tablets, 10 mg, a treatment to improve walking in adult patients with multiple sclerosis, or MS, as demonstrated by an increase in walking speed. We have a pipeline of novel neurological therapies addressing a range of disorders, including Parkinson’s disease and MS.

We currently derive substantially all our revenue from the sale of Ampyra. In March 2017, we announced a decision by the United States District Court for the District of Delaware in litigation with certain generic drug manufacturers upholding our Ampyra Orange Book-listed patent that expired on July 30, 2018, but invalidating our four other Orange Book-listed patents pertaining to Ampyra that were set to expire between 2025 and 2027. Under this decision, we maintained patent exclusivity with respect to Ampyra through July 30, 2018. We have appealed the ruling on the four invalidated patents. The appellate court held oral argument on June 7, 2018, and we await a decision on the appeal.

We expect to experience a rapid and significant decline in Ampyra sales beyond July 2018 due to competition from generic versions of Ampyra that may be marketed due to the July 30, 2018 expiration of the Ampyra patent upheld by the District Court, unless the District Court’s decision on the four invalidated patents is overturned on appeal, which could include reversal or remand by the appeals court back to the District Court. Multiple generic drug manufacturers may decide to launch at-risk generic versions of Ampyra. On July 24, 2018, the appeals court denied per curiam our motion for an injunction to prevent generic at-risk launch pending a decision in our appeal of the District Court’s decision. On August 3, 2018, we reported the following updates on the litigation with the three generic drug manufacturers that remain a party to the litigation: We have entered into a conditioned settlement agreement with Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. and affiliates, and as a result of the settlement agreement, Mylan will be permitted to market its generic version of Ampyra in the U.S. sometime in 2025 or earlier under certain circumstances; we have signed an interim agreement with Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., that addresses the period of time until August 31, 2018 (and potentially until the appellate court issues a decision on the merits); and we have signed an interim agreement with West-Ward Pharmaceuticals International Limited and Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., successors to Roxane Laboratories, Inc., that addresses the period of time until the appellate court issues a decision on the merits. The terms of the settlement agreement and interim agreements are otherwise confidential.

Inbrija, our most advanced development program, is a self-administered, inhaled formulation of levodopa, or L-dopa, being investigated for the treatment of OFF periods in people with Parkinson’s disease who are taking a carbidopa/levodopa regimen. Inbrija is based on our proprietary ARCUS platform, a dry-powder pulmonary drug delivery technology that we believe has potential applications in multiple disease areas. We announced positive Phase 3 efficacy and safety data for this program in 2017. In February 2018, we announced that our New Drug Application, or NDA for Inbrija was accepted for filing by the FDA, and that under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or PDUFA, the FDA has set a target date of October 5, 2018, for issuing its decision on the NDA. Our commercial preparations for the launch of Inbrija continue. We are projecting that, if approved, annual peak net revenue of Inbrija in the U.S. alone could exceed $800 million. We are seeking approval to market Inbrija in the European Union, and accordingly we filed a Marketing Authorization Application, or MAA, with the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, in March 2018. In May 2018, we announced that the EMA completed formal validation of the MAA for Inbrija, and that the review of the MAA will be according to standard timelines, with an opinion of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, expected within 210 days of the May 24, 2018 validation notification date (plus any clock-stops to provide answers to questions which may arise during the review). After the adoption of a CHMP opinion, a final decision regarding the MAA is carried out by the European Commission. We are in discussions with potential partners regarding Inbrija outside of the U.S.

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We were incorporated in 1995 as a Delaware corporation. Our principal executive offices are located at 420 Saw Mill River Road, Ardsley, New York 10502. Our telephone number is (914) 347-4300. Our website is www.acorda.com. Please note that all references to “www.acorda.com” in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement and documents incorporated by reference herein are inactive textual references only and that the information contained on Acorda’s website is neither incorporated by reference nor intended to be used in connection with this offering.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and the documents incorporated herein by reference contain forward-looking statements relating to future events and our future performance within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. You are cautioned that such statements involve risks and uncertainties, including:

These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry and markets in which we operate and management’s beliefs and assumptions. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this prospectus and the documents incorporated herein by reference regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements we make, and investors should not place undue reliance on these statements. In addition to the risks and uncertainties described above, we have included important

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factors in the cautionary statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended by Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A, for the year ended December 31, 2017, as updated by our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018, respectively, particularly in the “Risk Factors” section (as updated by the disclosures in our subsequent reports), that we believe could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that we make. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures or investments that we may make. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus are made only as of the date hereof and, except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, the accompanying prospectus supplement or any information incorporated by reference herein or therein, whether as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise.

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RISK FACTORS

Our business is subject to numerous risks, as more fully described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended by Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A, for the year ended December 31, 2017, as updated by our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018, respectively, and as may be described in future quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, as well the other information contained in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. You should also carefully consider the other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, the accompanying prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus. Each of the risks described in these documents could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, and could result in a partial or complete loss of your investment.

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table sets forth our ratios of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated:

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless we state otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of securities by us under this prospectus for general corporate purposes, including capital expenditures. Until we use net proceeds for these purposes, we intend to invest them primarily in short-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing securities.

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DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

The descriptions of the securities contained in this prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplements, summarize the material terms and provisions of the various types of securities that we may offer. We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to any securities the particular terms of the securities offered by that prospectus supplement. If indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the terms of the securities that we offer may differ from the terms summarized below. We will also include information in the prospectus supplement, where applicable, about material United States federal income tax considerations relating to the securities being offered, and the securities exchange, if any, on which the securities will be listed.

We may sell, from time to time, in one or more offerings:

Common Stock

We have the authority to issue 80,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share. As of June 30, 2018, 47,487,900 shares of our voting common stock were outstanding (not including 79,275 shares of common stock that were held in treasury), and a maximum of 8,354,796 shares of common stock were issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options and the vesting and settlement of restricted stock units.

The following description of our common stock is only a summary and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Holders of common stock have one vote per share and have no preemption rights. Holders of common stock have the right to participate ratably in all distributions, whether of dividends or assets in liquidation, dissolution or winding up, subject to any superior rights of holders of preferred stock outstanding at the time. See “Preferred Stock” below. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock.

Computershare Trust Company, N.A. is the transfer agent and registrar for our common stock. Their address is P.O. Box 505000, Louisville, KY 40233-5000 and their telephone number is (800) 368-5948.

Preferred Stock

We have the authority to issue 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock. As of June 30, 2018, zero shares of our preferred stock were outstanding. The description of preferred stock provisions set forth below is only a summary and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the certificate of designations relating to any series of preferred stock.

The board of directors has the right, without the consent of holders of common stock, to designate and issue one or more series of preferred stock, which may be convertible into common stock at a ratio determined by the board. A series of preferred stock may bear rights superior to common stock as to voting, dividends, redemption, distributions in liquidation, dissolution, or winding up, and other relative rights and preferences. The board may set the following terms of any series of preferred stock, and a prospectus supplement will specify these terms for any series offered:

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The preferred stock will, if issued, be fully paid and nonassessable. The rights of the holders of preferred stock will be subordinate to those of our general creditors.

Debt Securities

The debt securities covered by this prospectus will be our direct unsecured obligations. The debt securities will be issued in one or more series under an indenture dated as of June 23, 2014, between Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement.

The following description is a summary of selected portions of the indenture. The indenture has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and you should read the indenture carefully for provisions that may be important to you.

In addition, the material specific terms particular to debt securities of each series will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to the debt securities of that series.

General. The debt securities will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The indenture does not limit the amount of debt we may issue under the indenture or otherwise. We may issue the debt securities in one or more series. The debt securities may be issued at various times and may have differing maturity dates and may bear interest at differing rates. The prospectus supplement applicable to each series of debt securities will specify some or all of the following:

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Merger Covenant. We may not merge into any other person or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of our properties and assets to any person, and we shall not permit any person to consolidate with or merge into us, unless:

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Under the indenture, “person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint-venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company or other unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof. The successor will succeed to, and except in the case of a lease, be substituted for, us under the indenture.

Events of Default. The following are events of default under the indenture with respect to any series of debt securities issued:

If, with regard to any series of debt securities, an event of default resulting from a failure to pay principal, any premium or interest occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the principal of all debt securities of that series immediately due and payable.

If an event of default other than (i) a failure to pay principal, any premium or interest or (ii) an event of bankruptcy or insolvency occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all affected series (all such series voting together as a single class) may declare the principal of all debt securities of such affected series immediately due and payable.

If an event of default resulting from an event of bankruptcy or insolvency occurs and is continuing, then the principal of all outstanding debt securities shall become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other action by the trustee or the holders of the outstanding debt securities.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all affected series (voting together as a single class) may waive any past default with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default or events of default regarding payment of principal, any premium or interest, in which case the holders of the outstanding debt securities of each affected series shall vote to waive such default or event of default as a separate class. Such a waiver will eliminate the default.

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Concerning the Trustee. The trustee, except when there is an event of default, will perform only those duties as are specifically stated in the indenture, including the authentication and delivery of the debt securities. If an event of default has occurred with respect to any series of debt securities, the trustee must exercise with respect to such debt securities the rights and powers it has under the indenture and use the same degree of care and skill as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. The trustee or its affiliates may from time to time in the future provide banking and other services to us in the ordinary course of their business.

Discharge. The indenture provides that, subject to the terms of the indenture and any limitation otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of debt securities, we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities, except for specified obligations, including obligations to:

In order to exercise our rights to be discharged, we must deposit with the trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all the principal of, any premium and interest on, the debt securities of the series on the dates payments are due.

Modification of the Indenture. Together with the trustee, we may make modifications and amendments to the indenture without the consent of the holders of the debt securities to, among other things:

Together with the trustee, we may, when authorized by our board of directors, also make modifications and amendments to the indenture with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all affected series. However, without the consent of each affected holder, no modification may:

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Warrants

The following description, together with the additional information we may include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the material terms and provisions of any warrants that we may offer under this prospectus and the related warrant agreements and warrant certificates. While the terms summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any warrants offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. With respect to any warrants that we offer, specific warrant agreements will contain additional important terms and provisions and will be incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus or as an exhibit to a current report on Form 8-K, incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

General. With respect to any warrants that we offer, we will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of warrants, including:

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Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including:

Exercise of Warrants. With respect to any warrants that we issue, each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the securities that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement at the exercise price that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to 5:00 P.M. New York time on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.

Holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants by delivering the warrant certificate representing the warrants to be exercised together with specified information, and paying the required amount to the warrant agent in immediately available funds, as provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. We will set forth on the reverse side of the warrant certificate and in the applicable prospectus supplement the information that the holder of the warrant will be required to deliver to the warrant agent.

Upon receipt of the required payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue and deliver the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate are exercised, then we will issue a new warrant certificate for the remaining amount of warrants. If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may surrender securities as all or part of the exercise price for the warrants (“cashless exercise”).

Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants. With respect to any warrants that we issue, each warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, its warrants.

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DELAWARE LAW, CERTAIN CHARTER AND BYLAW PROVISIONS AND SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN

Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law

We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which, subject to certain exceptions, prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years following the time that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

In general, Section 203 defines “business combination” to include the following:

In general, Section 203 defines “interested stockholder” as an entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by such entity or person.

Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws include a number of provisions that may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying or preventing changes in control or our management. For example, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of up to 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.001 per share, of which 1,000,000 shares have been designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. The board of directors has the authority, without approval of the stockholders, to issue and determine the rights and preferences of series of preferred stock. The ability to authorize and issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences makes it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock with super voting, special approval, dividend or other rights or preferences on a discriminatory basis that could impede the success of any attempt to acquire us.

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Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws also provide that our board of directors is divided into three classes, each serving staggered three-year terms ending at the annual meeting of our stockholders. All directors elected to our classified board of directors will serve until the election and qualification of their respective successors or their earlier resignation or removal. Members of the board of directors may only be removed for cause and only by the affirmative vote of 75% of our outstanding voting stock. These provisions are likely to increase the time required for stockholders to change the composition of our board of directors.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provide that a meeting of stockholders may only be called by our board of directors, the chairman of our board of directors or our chief executive officer. Our amended and restated bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. The provisions may delay or preclude stockholders from calling a meeting of stockholders, bringing matters before a meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at a stockholders’ meeting, which could delay or deter takeover attempts or changes in management. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also does not provide for cumulative voting. The absence of cumulative voting may make it more difficult for stockholders owning less than a majority of our stock to elect any directors to our board of directors.

Shareholder Rights Plan

On August 31, 2017, our board of directors authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right for each outstanding share of our common stock to stockholders of record on September 11, 2017. Each right entitles the registered holder to purchase from us one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, at a specified purchase price of $110.00. The description and terms of the rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2017, between the company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. as Rights Agent. The rights will expire at 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on August 31, 2018, unless the rights are earlier redeemed, exchanged or terminated. The rights may have certain anti-takeover effects. The rights may cause substantial dilution to any person or group that attempts to acquire us without the approval of our board of directors. As a result, the overall effect of the rights may be to render more difficult or discourage a merger, tender offer or other business combination involving us that is not supported by our board of directors.

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities offered through this prospectus from time to time pursuant to underwritten public offerings, negotiated transactions, block trades or a combination of these methods or through underwriters, dealers or agents or directly to one or more purchasers. The securities may be distributed from time to time in one or more transactions at:

Each time that we sell securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement or supplements that will describe the method of distribution and set forth the terms and conditions of the offering of such securities, including the following information:

We may grant to the underwriters options to purchase additional securities at the public offering price, with additional underwriting commissions or discounts, as applicable, set forth in the prospectus supplement. The terms of any option to purchase additional securities will be set forth in the prospectus supplement for those securities.

We may engage in at-the-market offerings into an existing trading market in accordance with Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Any at-the-market offering will be through an underwriter or underwriters acting as principal or agent for us.

Sales Through Underwriters or Dealers

If underwriters are used in the sale, the underwriters will acquire the securities offered through this prospectus for their own account, including through underwriting, purchase, security lending or repurchase agreements with us. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions. Underwriters may sell the securities in order to facilitate transactions in any of our other securities (described in this prospectus or otherwise), including other public or private transactions and short sales. Underwriters may offer securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the offered securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers. The prospectus supplement will include the names of the underwriters and the terms of the transaction, including any underwriting discounts or commissions.

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If dealers are used in the sale of securities offered through this prospectus, we will sell the securities to them as principals. They may then resell those securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. The prospectus supplement will include the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction, including any discounts or commissions received.

Direct Sales and Sales Through Agents

We may sell the securities offered through this prospectus directly. In this case, no underwriters, dealers or agents would be involved. Such securities may also be sold through agents designated from time to time. The prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities and will describe any commissions payable to the agent. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.

We may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. The terms of any such sales will be described in the prospectus supplement.

Delayed Delivery Contracts

If the prospectus supplement indicates, we may authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities offered through this prospectus at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.

Market Making, Stabilization and Other Transactions

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, all preferred stock, debt securities, warrants and units will be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Unless indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we do not expect to list the offered securities on a securities exchange, except for our common stock, which is listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market. Any underwriters that we use in the sale of offered securities may make a market in such securities, but may discontinue such market making at any time without notice. Therefore, we cannot assure you that the securities will have a liquid trading market.

Any underwriter may also engage in stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Rule 104 of Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Stabilizing transactions involve bids to purchase the underlying security in the open market for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the price of the securities. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions.

Stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our securities or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our securities. As a result, the price of the securities in the open market may be higher than it would otherwise be in the absence of these transactions. The underwriters may, if they commence these transactions, discontinue them at any time.

Derivative Transactions and Hedging

We, the underwriters or other agents may engage in derivative transactions involving the securities offered through this prospectus. These derivatives may consist of short sale transactions and other hedging activities. The

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underwriters or agents may acquire a long or short position in the securities, hold or resell securities acquired and purchase options or futures on the securities and other derivative instruments with returns linked to or related to changes in the price of the securities. In order to facilitate these derivative transactions, we may enter into security lending or repurchase agreements with the underwriters or agents. The underwriters or agents may effect the derivative transactions through sales of the securities to the public, including short sales, or by lending the securities in order to facilitate short sale transactions by others. The underwriters or agents may also use the securities purchased or borrowed from us or others (or, in the case of derivatives, securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives) to directly or indirectly settle sales of the securities or close out any related open borrowings of the securities.

Electronic Auctions

We may also make sales through the Internet or through other electronic means. Since we may from time to time elect to offer securities directly to the public, with or without the involvement of agents, underwriters or dealers, utilizing the Internet or other forms of electronic bidding or ordering systems for the pricing and allocation of such securities, you will want to pay particular attention to the description of that system, which we will provide in a prospectus supplement.

Such electronic system may allow bidders to directly participate, through electronic access to an auction site, by submitting conditional offers to buy that are subject to acceptance by us, and which may directly affect the price or other terms and conditions at which such securities are sold. These bidding or ordering systems may present to each bidder, on a so-called “real-time” basis, relevant information to assist in making a bid, such as the clearing spread at which the offering would be sold, based on the bids submitted, and whether a bidder’s individual bids would be accepted, prorated or rejected. For example, in the case of debt security, the clearing spread could be indicated as a number of “basis points” above an index treasury note.

Upon completion of such an electronic auction process, securities will be allocated based on prices bid, terms of bid or other factors. The final offering price at which securities would be sold and the allocation of securities among bidders would be based in whole or in part on the results of the Internet or other electronic bidding process or auction.

General Information

The specific terms of any lock-up provisions in respect of any given offering will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Underwriters, dealers and agents may be entitled, under agreements entered into with us, to indemnification by us against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Our underwriters, dealers and agents, or their affiliates, may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us, in the ordinary course of business.

In compliance with guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, and unless otherwise disclosed in the applicable prospectus supplement, we do not intend for the maximum consideration or discount to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker dealer to exceed 8.0% of the aggregate amount of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.

Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with us, or perform services for us, in the ordinary course of business for which they receive customary compensation.

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LEGAL MATTERS

Unless otherwise specified in any applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the securities covered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Covington & Burling LLP, New York, New York. Counsel for any underwriters, dealers or agents will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended by Amendment No.1 on Form 10-K/A, for the year ended December 31, 2017, and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, as set forth in their reports, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s reports, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You may also read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the Public Reference Room. Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K, including any amendments to those reports, and other information that we file with or furnish to the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, can also be accessed free of charge on our website at www.acorda.com under “Investors — Financial Information — SEC Filings.” These filings will be available as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC.

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating to the offering of these securities. The registration statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us and the securities. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement, at prescribed rates, from the SEC at the address listed above. The registration statement and the documents referred to below under “Incorporation by Reference” are also available on our website, www.acorda.com. We have not incorporated by reference into this prospectus the information on, or that can be accessed through, our website, and you should not consider it to be a part of this prospectus.

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INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information which we incorporate by reference is an important part of this prospectus, and certain information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below, and any future filings we make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended:

You may access our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to any of these reports, free of charge on the SEC’s website. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of this prospectus.

In addition, we will furnish without charge to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference, other than exhibits to those documents. You should direct any requests for documents to Corporate Secretary, Acorda Therapeutics, Inc., 420 Saw Mill River Road, Ardsley, New York 10502, or call (914) 347-4300.

We are responsible for the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and in any related free-writing prospectus we prepare or authorize. We have not authorized anyone to give you any other information, and we take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We are not making offers to sell or seeking offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate as of the date on the front of this prospectus or incorporated document only, as the case may be. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION

The following table sets forth the various costs and expenses (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) payable by the registrant in connection with the sale of the securities being registered. All amounts are estimates except the SEC registration fee.

ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

The Registrant is a Delaware corporation. Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL, grants each corporation organized thereunder the power to “indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful.”

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL enables a corporation in its certificate of incorporation or an amendment thereto to eliminate or limit the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for violations or the directors’ fiduciary duty of care, except (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL (providing for liability of directors for unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock purchases or redemptions) or (iv) for any transaction from which a director derived an improper personal benefit.

Article Seven of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (filed as Exhibit 3.3) provides that except as otherwise provided by the DGCL, no director of the Registrant shall be personally liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director.

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Article Eight of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, the Registrant shall indemnify any current or former director or officer of the Registrant and may, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, indemnify any current or former employee or agent of the Registrant against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Registrant, or is or was serving as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

ITEM 16. EXHIBITS

The exhibits listed on the Index of Exhibits to this registration statement are filed herewith or are incorporated herein by reference to other filings.

ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

1. To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (l)(i), (l)(ii) and (l)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference into this registration statement, or that are contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

2. That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post- effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

3. To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

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4. That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(l)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

5. That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to the registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

6. That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

7. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to supplement the prospectus, after the expiration of the subscription period, to set forth the results of the subscription offer, the transactions by the underwriters during the subscription period, the amount of unsubscribed securities to be purchased by the underwriters, and the terms of any subsequent reoffering thereof. If any public offering by the underwriters is to be made on terms differing from those set forth on the cover page of the prospectus, a post-effective amendment will be filed to set forth the terms of such offering.

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8. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the indemnification provisions described herein, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

9. To file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

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Exhibit Index

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Ardsley, State of New York, on August 8, 2018.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Ron Cohen and David Lawrence and each of them as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for the undersigned and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and to sign any Registration Statement that is to be effective on filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933 or otherwise, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power of authority to and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully for all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, each acting alone, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

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