Cure Alzheimer's Fund

Last updated
Cure Alzheimer's Fund
Founded2004
Type Foundation
Focus Alzheimer's disease, medical research
Location
President and CEO
 Meg Smith
Website curealz.org

Cure Alzheimer's Fund (CAF) is an American non-profit organization [1] [2] based in Wellesley, Massachusetts. It supports and funds research focusing on understanding and potentially curing Alzheimer's disease utilizing a venture philanthropy approach, targeting research with the highest probability of preventing, slowing or reversing Alzheimer's disease. [3] The board of directors covers all operating costs so that all donations go entirely to research.

Contents

History

Cure Alzheimer's Fund (also known as Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation) was founded in 2004 by Jeffrey Morby, Jacqui Morby, Henry McCance, and Phyllis Rappaport as a way to fund research of Alzheimer's disease. As of October 2023, the CEO is Meg Smith; Timothy Armour retired in October of 2023. For the full year 2022, Cure Alzheimer's Fund received $32 million through 24,000 donations. As of September 2023, the organization has funded 754 research projects, for more than $178 million. [4]

Events

Cure Alzheimer's Fund webinars throughout the calendar year. Recent presenters have included Drs. Rudy Tanzi, David Holtzman, Robert Vassar, and Erik Musiek

Research Areas of Focus

The Cure Alzheimer’s Fund mission—to fund research with the highest probability of preventing, slowing or reversing Alzheimer’s disease—involves four phases of research development. In each phase, specific categories of research have been identified for funding and are listed here.

As a non-profit, CureAlz provides grants to the world's leading researchers. [5]

All projects are based a strategy that includes key areas: foundational research, translational research, drug discovery and enabling technologies, and drug pre-clinical and clinical drug development and trials..

FOUNDATIONAL RESEARCH

The phase of foundational research includes the exploration of basic science and, for Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, the distribution of grants to those who are working to understand the facts of the disease. This includes the following subcategories:

TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH

Translational research investigates how the facts of the disease provide opportunities for prevention and intervention. This includes studies of:


DRUG DISCOVERY AND ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES

In the third phase of the research, potential therapeutics and approaches are sought to leverage the identified opportunities for intervention. This includes:


PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL DRUG DEVELOPMENT AND TRIALS

In the final stage of the preclinical research continuum, the identified candidate drugs and other therapies are further validated and optimized to maximize their chance of success in human clinical trials. These entail:  

Alzheimer's Genome Project

The Alzheimer's Genome Project [6] (AGP) is one of the CureAlz longest continued projects, with approximately $23,416,400 in funding from 2005 to 2022 for research directed by Rudolph Tanzi, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. [7] Its objective is to evaluate new Alzheimer's disease gene candidates for effects on Alzheimer's pathology and related biological pathways. [8] Phase I of the AGP focused on identifying all genes that contribute significant risk for Alzheimer's disease, thereby identifying more targets for the development of therapeutic interventions. Phase I was completed in 2008, with the identification of the novel Alzheimer's genes ADAM10, ATXN1, and CD33. Phase II of the AGP entails the functional analysis of these genes.

Phase III of the AGP focuses on the processing and sequencing of the complete genomes, then identifying all DNA variants in the genome that directly influence risk of Alzheimer's disease. From there, all of the biologically relevant genomes that may cause Alzheimer's can be identified and targeted for the development of therapeutic treatments. The Alzheimer's Genome Project was the largest single disease scan of all time[ citation needed ] and was considered one of the top ten medical breakthroughs in the world in 2008 by Time magazine. [9]

Charity assessment

The board of directors covers all operating costs so that all donations go entirely to research. Cure Alzheimer's Fund has a maximum rating of 4 stars (out of 4) from Charity Navigator for eleven consecutive years, with an overall score of 98.23/100 for financial, accountability and transparency. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human genetic enhancement</span> Human enhancement by means of a genetic modification

Human genetic enhancement or human genetic engineering refers to human enhancement by means of a genetic modification. This could be done in order to cure diseases, prevent the possibility of getting a particular disease, to improve athlete performance in sporting events, or to change physical appearance, metabolism, and even improve physical capabilities and mental faculties such as memory and intelligence. These genetic enhancements may or may not be done in such a way that the change is heritable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical research</span> Wide array of research

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drug development</span> Process of bringing a new pharmaceutical drug to the market

Drug development is the process of bringing a new pharmaceutical drug to the market once a lead compound has been identified through the process of drug discovery. It includes preclinical research on microorganisms and animals, filing for regulatory status, such as via the United States Food and Drug Administration for an investigational new drug to initiate clinical trials on humans, and may include the step of obtaining regulatory approval with a new drug application to market the drug. The entire process – from concept through preclinical testing in the laboratory to clinical trial development, including Phase I–III trials – to approved vaccine or drug typically takes more than a decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Children's Tumor Foundation</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Michael J. Fox Foundation</span> Parkinsons disease charity

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research aims to find a cure for Parkinson's disease (PD) founded in 2000 by Michael J. Fox. It concentrates on funding research and ensuring the development of improved therapies for people with Parkinson's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Psoriasis Foundation</span>

The National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) is one of the world's largest nonprofit organization serving people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The NPF provides information and services to help people manage their condition while supporting research to find a cure. In addition to serving more than 3 million people annually through patient and professional health education and advocacy initiatives, the NPF has funded more than $10 million in psoriatic disease research grants and fellowships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ALS Association</span>

The ALS Association is an American nonprofit organization that funds global amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, provides care services and programs to people affected by ALS through its nationwide network of chapters, and works with ALS advocates around the country for state and federal policies that serve people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The ALS Association is broken up into distinct chapters, each servicing a particular geographic area of the United States and all working under the umbrella of a national charter and administrator.

Alzheimer's Research UK (ARUK) is a dementia research charity in the United Kingdom, founded in 1992 as the Alzheimer's Research Trust.

Alzheimer Research Forum (ARF), or Alzforum is a website which uses web technology to accelerate research into Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) is a multisite study that aims to improve clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This cooperative study combines expertise and funding from the private and public sector to study subjects with AD, as well as those who may develop AD and controls with no signs of cognitive impairment. Researchers at 63 sites in the US and Canada track the progression of AD in the human brain with neuroimaging, biochemical, and genetic biological markers. This knowledge helps to find better clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of AD. ADNI has made a global impact, firstly by developing a set of standardized protocols to allow the comparison of results from multiple centers, and secondly by its data-sharing policy which makes available all at the data without embargo to qualified researchers worldwide. To date, over 1000 scientific publications have used ADNI data. A number of other initiatives related to AD and other diseases have been designed and implemented using ADNI as a model. ADNI has been running since 2004 and is currently funded until 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rudolph E. Tanzi</span> American geneticist

Rudolph Emile 'Rudy' Tanzi is the Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology at Harvard University, Vice-chair of Neurology, Director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit, and co-director of the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Dr. Tanzi has been investigating the genetics of neurological disease since the 1980s when he participated in the first study that used genetic markers to find a disease gene. Dr. Tanzi co-discovered all three familial early-onset Alzheimer's disease (FAD) genes and several other neurological disease genes including that responsible for Wilson’s disease. As the leader of the Cure Alzheimer's Fund Alzheimer's Genome Project, Dr. Tanzi has carried out multiple genome wide association studies of thousands of Alzheimer's families leading to the identification of novel AD candidate genes, including CD33 and the first two rare mutations causing late-onset AD in the ADAM10 gene. His research on the role of zinc and copper in AD has led to clinical trials at Prana Biotechnology. He is also working on gamma secretase modulators for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's. He also serves as Chair of the Cure Alzheimer's Fund Research Leadership Group and Director the Cure Alzheimer's Fund Alzheimer's Genome Project™.

Translational bioinformatics (TBI) is a field that emerged in the 2010s to study health informatics, focused on the convergence of molecular bioinformatics, biostatistics, statistical genetics and clinical informatics. Its focus is on applying informatics methodology to the increasing amount of biomedical and genomic data to formulate knowledge and medical tools, which can be utilized by scientists, clinicians, and patients. Furthermore, it involves applying biomedical research to improve human health through the use of computer-based information system. TBI employs data mining and analyzing biomedical informatics in order to generate clinical knowledge for application. Clinical knowledge includes finding similarities in patient populations, interpreting biological information to suggest therapy treatments and predict health outcomes.

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1998 by co-chairmen Leonard A. Lauder and Ronald S. Lauder of the Estée Lauder Companies cosmetics family and led by Howard Fillit, a geriatrician and neuroscientist. The ADDF provides funding to scientists who are conducting promising, innovative Alzheimer's disease drug research worldwide. The ADDF funds early-stage research and early-phase clinical trials that might otherwise go unfunded. By supporting research projects around the world, it seeks to increase the chances of finding treatments for Alzheimer's disease, related dementias and cognitive aging. The ADDF has invested nearly $65 million to fund some 450 Alzheimer's drug discovery programs and clinical trials in academic centers and biotechnology companies in 18 countries.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giulio Maria Pasinetti</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alzheon</span>

Alzheon is an American clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Framingham, Massachusetts. The company is developing medicines for patients with Alzheimer's disease and other neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Robert David Moir was an Australian-born medical research scientist who theorized that the over-accumulation of beta-amyloid, which had formed to protect the brain against microbes, aided the development of Alzheimer's disease in the human brain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simufilam</span> Experimental drug for Alzheimers disease

Simufilam (PTI-125) is an Investigational New Drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. It is being developed by the American pharmaceutical firm Cassava Sciences. The drug is in phase III clinical trials as of October 2023. There are two phase III clinical studies: RETHINK-ALZ, a 52-week trial, is set to complete in 2024, and REFOCUS-ALZ, spanning 76 weeks, is projected to finish in 2025.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) in African Americans is becoming a rising topic of interest in AD care, support, and scientific research, as African Americans are disproportionately affected by AD. Recent research on AD has shown that there are clear disparities in the disease among racial groups, with higher prevalence and incidence in African Americans than the overall average. Pathologies for Alzheimer’s also seem to manifest differently in African Americans, including with neuroinflammation markers, cognitive decline, and biomarkers. Although there are genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s, these account for few cases in all racial groups.

References

  1. ↑ GuideStar. Archived 2015-02-15 at the Wayback Machine . Accessed 26 March 2014.
  2. ↑ Better Business Bureau. Archived 2014-05-04 at the Wayback Machine . Accessed 26 March 2014.
  3. ↑ Charity Navigator. . Accessed 5 March 2014.
  4. ↑ Cure Alzheimer's Fund
  5. ↑ Tjan, Anthony. "Can the VC Model Help Cure Alzheimer's?". HuffPost. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  6. ↑ Cure Alzheimer's Fund. . Accessed March 5, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Cure Alzheimer's Fund donates $5.4 million". Massachusetts General Hospital. October 26, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  8. ↑ Don Seifferi (May 3, 2013). "Betting on a cure for Alzheimer's". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  9. ↑ Alice Park (November 3, 2008). "The Top 10 Everything of 2008". Time . Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Charity Navigator - Rating for Cure Alzheimer's Fund". Charity Navigator.
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