FORM 3
        	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
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                      	Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	                      	

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *

FRIEDMAN JOHN H	2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (MM/DD/YYYY)
2/9/2006 
	3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

ACORDA THERAPEUTICS INC [ACOR]	
(Last)        (First)        (Middle)

C/O ACORDA THERAPEUTICS, INC., 15 SKYLINE DRIVE	4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)

__ X __ Director                            _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below)          _____ Other (specify below)	
(Street)

HAWTHORNE, NY 10532       

(City)              (State)              (Zip)	5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)

	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

_ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person	

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned	
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)	

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)	
1. Title of Derivate Security
(Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(MM/DD/YYYY)	3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)	4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)	
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares				
Series J Convertible Preferred Stock  	  (1)	  (1)	Common Stock  	719518   (2)	$7.644  	I  	See   (3)	
Series K Convertible Preferred Stock  	  (1)	  (1)	Common Stock  	76923   (2)	$9.75  	I  	See   (3)	
Series K Convertible Preferred Stock  	  (1)	  (1)	Common Stock  	76923   (2)	$9.75  	I  	See   (4)	

Explanation of Responses:	
(  1) 	The convertible preferred stock is convertible at any time, at the holder's discretion, and has no expiration date.	
(  2) 	The number of shares underlying convertible preferred stock in column 3 of Table II represents the number of shares of Common Stock of the Issuer that the convertible preferred stock will automatically convert into upon the closing of the Issuer's initial public offering.	
(  3) 	These shares are held by Easton Hunt Capital Partners, L.P. ("EHCP"). According to information provided by EHCP, Mr. Friedman could be deemed to have shared voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares of stock held by EHCP. However, Mr. Friedman disclaims beneficial ownership except to the extent of his indirect pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed to be an admission that he is the beneficial owner of these securities for purposes of Section 16.	
(  4) 	These shares are held by Easton Hunt New York ("EHNY"). According to information provided by EHNY, Mr. Friedman could be deemed to have shared voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares of stock held by EHNY. However, Mr. Friedman disclaims beneficial ownership except to the extent of his indirect pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed to be an admission that he is the beneficial owner of these securities for purposes of Section 16.	

Remarks:
Exhibit List - Exhibit 24 - Power of Attorney	

Reporting Owners	
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships	
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other	
FRIEDMAN JOHN H
C/O ACORDA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
15 SKYLINE DRIVE
HAWTHORNE, NY 10532	X				

Signatures		
/s/ Michelle Meyers, by power of attorney		2/9/2006	
** Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.	
*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).	
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).	
Note:	File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.	
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Exhibit 24
 
POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
For Executing Forms 3, 4 and 5
 
Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints each of Ron Cohen, Jane Wasman, David Lawrence and Michelle Meyers, or any of them acting singly, and with full power of substitution, the undersigned’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:
 
1.                                        prepare, execute in the undersigned’s name and on the undersigned’s behalf, and submit to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”), a Form ID, including any amendments thereto, and any other documents necessary or appropriate to obtain codes and passwords enabling the undersigned to make electronic filings with the SEC of reports required by Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation of the SEC;
 
2.                                        prepare, execute in the undersigned’s name and on the undersigned’s behalf, and submit to the SEC, Forms 3, 4 and 5, and any amendments thereto, in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;
 
3.                                        do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4 or 5, complete and execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and file such form with the SEC and any stock exchange or similar authority; and
 
4.                                        take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in his/her discretion.
 
The undersigned hereby grants to each attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform all and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary and proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or his/her substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. assuming, any of the undersigned’s responsibilities to comply with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
 
This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to the undersigned’s holdings of and transactions in securities issued by Acorda Therapeutics, Inc., unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be executed as of this 6 th day of February, 2006.

 	/s/ John H. Friedman	 	
 	Signature	

 	John H. Friedman	 	
 	Print Name