Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation - Neuroimaging and CSF Biomarker Development RFP

Applications are invited for efforts to develop further and validate established biomarkers for which there is a clear clinical need in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Grants will be awarded in support of the advancement of neuroimaging and CSF biomarkers that can do one or more of the following:

Demonstrate Target Engagement for Novel Therapeutics: Biomarkers that can serve as direct measures of target engagement for novel drugs in clinical development. Priority will be given to projects advancing biomarkers that can be used as specific companion biomarkers for therapies currently in the development pipeline; identifying such therapies will strengthen an application.

Detect Signs of Disease Earlier and Monitor Progression: Programs aimed at developing sensitive biomarkers that can detect disease earlier than currently available biomarkers. This includes biomarkers that can predict and monitor conversion from cognitively healthy to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or MCI to Alzheimer’s disease. ADDF also seeks prognostic markers that can predict rates of cognitive decline.

More Accurately Diagnose and Distinguish Between Dementia Subtypes: Many types of dementia can present similar clinical features, and patients often show overlapping pathologies. At present, it is challenging to distinguish between dementia subtypes and proteinopathies. Biomarkers that distinguish between subtypes and stratify patients in clinical trials are a high priority.

Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal by July 22, 2022.