Drug Development RFP

ADDF Drug Development RFP

Supports Alzheimer’s and dementia drug development from preclinical readiness to early clinical testing across diverse modalities.

Eligibility · Global — open worldwide

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), a New York-based 501(c)(3) venture-philanthropy organization founded in 1998 by Leonard and Ronald Lauder, operates the Drug Development RFP to accelerate IND-enabling studies and early-phase clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Since its founding, ADDF has distributed nearly $400 million across 792 programs in 21 countries. The 2026 cycle prioritizes combination therapies, disease-modifying agents, and novel mechanisms tied to aging biology — including epigenetics, inflammation, mitochondrial function, proteostasis, and synaptic activity.

Awards reach up to $5,000,000 based on research scope and cover direct costs only; co-funding from other agencies or investors is explicitly encouraged. Eligible applicants worldwide include academic medical centers, universities, nonprofits, and biotechnology companies — both established firms and startups. Eligible therapeutic modalities span small molecules, peptides, antibodies, gene therapies, antisense oligonucleotides, stem cells, and devices. Anti-amyloid and cholinesterase inhibitor proposals are not considered, and non-pharmacologic interventions are excluded. Funded clinical trials must register on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Applications are submitted through the ADDF portal at addf.fluxx.io. The Letter of Intent deadline for the 2026 cycle is September 14, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET; full proposal deadlines are issued by invitation only. Because ADDF operates a mission-related investment model, successful recipients negotiate a return on investment — structured as equity, convertible notes, or royalties — tied to scientific and business milestones. Teams should expect due-diligence conversations typical of biotech financing alongside the scientific review.