Alzheimer's - ADDF/AFTD Frontotemporal Dementia Drug Discovery Programme 2015

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) invite applications for the Frontotemporal Dementia Drug Discovery Programme. Deadline for submission of a full proposal is September 22, 2015. The Letter of Intent is due September 8, 2015. Grants are provided for one-year duration with the possibility of follow-on funding. Budgets averaging $ 150,000 - $ 200,000 are recommended, but are flexible depending on study design.

Research investigating the pathologic mechanisms underlying frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) is advancing, creating new targets for drug discovery. As potential therapies move forward, the need for biomarkers for early diagnosis, to distinguish FTD subtypes, and to monitor disease progression is also critical. The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) seek to accelerate and support innovative drug discovery programs and biomarker development for FTD through this Request for Proposals (RFP).

Priority areas for this programme include:
• Development and testing of novel high throughput screening assays;
• Preclinical testing of novel or repurposed drug candidates;
• Proteomics/transcriptomics/metabolomics for FTD biomarkers;
• Development/validation of CSF biomarker assays to distinguish TDP-43 or tau-based FTD;
• Functional imaging methods that correlate to FTD disease symptoms;
• Neurodegeneration and differential connectivity patterns (white and grey matter) in FTD disorders;
• Innovate software, algorithm-based approaches to improve quantitative image analysis for FTD;
• Innovative pilot clinical trials.