LOI's for Alzheimer's Drug Prevention Pipeline Program

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) is inviting applications to its Prevention Pipeline program. Awards will be made in support of comparative effectiveness research, studies of cognitive symptoms due to health conditions, and epidemiological studies that probe whether the use or choice of drugs alters the risk for dementia or cognitive decline.

The Prevention Pipeline RFP supports:

Studies of Cognitive Decline and Risk Reduction: Cognitive decline through aging and health conditions has been linked to an increased risk of dementia. ADDF will consider funding programs to prevent and treat these conditions, including menopause-related cognitive symptoms, postoperative delirium, and postoperative cognitive decline, mild and/or repetitive traumatic brain injury, and chemotherapy-induced decline. Methods may include epidemiology or clinical trials.

Comparative Effectiveness Research: For many health conditions, physicians have a choice of clinically equivalent drugs. Some of these drugs are being investigated for repurposing to treat Alzheimer's or related dementias, due to potential disease-modifying properties that go beyond the treatment of their approved disease indication. ADDF will consider funding research to generate an evidence base on whether choices in the routine clinical care of pre-existing conditions could protect from dementia. Priority will be given to the comparison of drugs that are otherwise clinically equivalent for the pre-existing condition. Methods may include randomized trials or epidemiology.

Studies Leveraging the Consortium of Cohorts for Alzheimer's Prevention Action: Epidemiological studies contribute unmatched information on whether the risk of dementia or cognitive decline may be influenced by long-term exposure to supplements or medications. However, high-powered studies are needed, ideally with dose, duration, and responder profiles, to translate epidemiological research into actionable interventions for testing. Through the CAPA Consortium, ADDF funds collaborative analyses on dementia prevention using a minimum of five longitudinal cohorts, either harmonized or analyzed through parallel analysis of cohorts using a shared analysis script.

Grants of up to $3,000,000 will be awarded for clinical trials based on stage and scope of research.

Eligible applicants include researchers and clinicians at academic medical centers, universities, nonprofits, and biotechnology companies worldwide. Existing companies and new spinouts also are eligible, and industry partnerships are strongly encouraged.

LOIs are due October 21, 2021, and, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal by December 3, 2021.

For complete program details, eligibility criteria, and a link to the application portal, see the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation website.