Drug Development Program
The Drug Development RFP seeks to support in vivo preclinical studies that advance lead molecules developed for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias to IND-enabling studies. The proposed studies should be structured to deliver a compound with strong potential for clinical and commercial application.
This funding opportunity prioritizes novel drug mechanisms and modes of action related to the biology of aging and other emerging therapeutic areas for dementia. For this reason, amyloid targeted approaches and cholinesterase inhibitor proposals will not be considered for this RFP.
Stage of discovery:
- Preclinical pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) (primarily to inform dose selection for in vivo efficacy studies), as well as preliminary rodent tolerability studies
- In vivo efficacy or proof-of-concept studies in animal models of disease or aging, with a focus on direct and indirect markers of target engagement and downstream pharmacologic effects
- Please note: Applications that focus on basic research (including target discovery), assay development, and screening to identify hit compounds are not a priority for this RFP and will be withdrawn
- Please note: IND-enabling work and clinical trials are supported through the Program to Accelerate Clinical Trials (PACT) RFP
Eligibility
Funding is open to researchers and clinicians worldwide at:
- Academic medical centers and universities or nonprofits. Industry partnerships are encouraged.
- Biotechnology companies. Existing companies and new startups are both eligible.
- NOTE Funding is provided through mission-related investments that require return on investment based upon scientific and/or business milestones (see Our Research Strategy for more information).
Timeline
Letter of Intent:
February 4, 2022
May 20, 2022
September 30, 2022
Full Proposal:
April 8, 2022
July 22, 2022
December 2, 2022
See Full Eligibility & Application Details