The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and the Alzheimer’s Society (U.K.) have partnered to provide funding for research in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, with the goal of accelerating critical development programs and bringing new treatments to patients. The partnership intends to fund projects up to $1.5 million each, focused on drug repurposing, leveraging existing scientific evidence and research to accelerate the drug development process.

“Through the repurposing of drugs in development or approved for other conditions, there is the potential to dramatically reduce the time and costs typically associated with bringing a drug from basic research and clinical development to patients,” said Howard Fillit, M.D., executive director and chief science officer of the ADDF.

With nearly 44 million people affected by Alzheimer’s and related diseases worldwide, and the number exponentially increasing, the organizations hope to propel promising drug developments into the final stages of testing and ultimately into the hands of those affected by these diseases. With current treatments only temporarily helping with symptoms and not preventing the progression of dementia, new drugs are urgently needed.

“By supporting this research, we are helping to make the hope of finding effective dementia treatments within the next 10 years a reality,” said Doug Brown, Ph.D., director of R&D at the Alzheimer’s Society.