Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation and the Lewy Body Dementia Association Invite...

Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation and the Lewy Body Dementia Association
Invite Scientists to Apply for LBD Grant Award Program

NEW YORK, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery
Foundation (ADDF) and the Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA) invite
scientists from the biotechnology industry and academia worldwide to apply for
a new collaborative research grant award entitled Lewy Body Dementia Biomarker
Research Award. The goal of the program is to catalyze the discovery of
innovative biomarkers that aid in early diagnosis, detection and disease
monitoring of Lewy body dementias.

Lewy body dementias (LBD) are the second most common form of degenerative
dementia in the elderly, affecting an estimated 1.3 million people in the
United States. Yet many individuals who have LBD are misdiagnosed, most
commonly with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases. Developing effective
biomarkers is key to helping to correctly diagnose the disease, monitor
disease progression and develop effective new drugs to treat, prevent and cure
LBD.

The total pool of grant funds available for fiscal year 2009 is $100,000.
Applications may be submitted by non-profit academic institutions and
for-profit public and private biotechnology companies.

Applications are available at www.alzdiscovery.org. The submission deadline
date is November 1, 2009. Applications will be reviewed by an independent
Scientific Review Committee convened by ADDF and LBDA and comprised of leading
experts in the neurodegenerative disease drug discovery and development
research field and biotechnology investment community. Funding will be
announced in spring 2010.

For more information about ADDF or to speak with Dr. Fillit, please contact
Filomena Machleder at 212-901-8004 or fmachleder@alzdiscovery.org. For
information about LBDA, please contact Caite Schulz at 404-935-6444 ext. 104
or cschulz@lbda.org.

About the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF)
ADDF (www.alzdiscovery.org) is the only public charity whose sole mission is
to accelerate the discovery and development of drugs to prevent, treat and
cure Alzheimer's disease, related dementias and cognitive aging. We award
grants to leading scientists conducting breakthrough drug discovery research.
ADDF uses a venture philanthropy model to bridge the worldwide funding gap
between basic research and later-stage development, using any return on
investment to support new research. Since 1998, we have received over 1,600
requests to fund new ideas for Alzheimer's drugs. For all, we provided expert
reviews and recommendations to advance their programs. We granted more than
$35M to fund over 240 Alzheimer's drug discovery programs in academic centers
and biotechnology companies in 12 countries. The ADDF website carries the
latest, vetted news on Alzheimer's disease, updated weekly.

About the Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA)
LBDA is the only organization in the United States that provides comprehensive
information, education and support for the 1.5 million people afflicted by
Lewy body dementias. LBDA's Scientific Advisory Council (SAC) is comprised of
leading experts in research and clinical management of Lewy body dementias
from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Japan. To learn more
about LBDA, visit www.lbda.org

SOURCE Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation

Filomena Machleder of Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, +1-212-901-8004