The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) is collaborating with Charles River Laboratories International, a provider of early-stage drug development products and services, to create a new research award program entitled Use of Aged Rats as a Relevant Pre-clinical Model for the Development of Therapies for Cognitive Aging and Alzheimer's Disease.  The program is made possible through a donation from Charles River's Discovery Services business and funds from the ADDF.

The goal of the three-year initiative is to accelerate the discovery of new drugs for cognitive aging and Alzheimer's disease. The program will fund pre-clinical studies focused on proof-of-concept testing of novel compounds in aged rats.  Academic and biotechnology company scientists are invited to apply to the program, which will provide funding of up to $150,000 for one year. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 5, 2011, and funding will be awarded in December 2011. 

Charles River will participate in the grant review process with the ADDF scientific staff and review committee.

"Aging is the leading risk factor for Alzheimer's.  By accelerating research on the relationship between age-related neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment through the use of aged rats, we may uncover and validate novel targets for Alzheimer's disease,” said ADDF's Executive Director Howard Fillit, M.D.