ADDF-Harrington Scholar Program RFP

About this funding opportunity

2027 Request for Proposals

The ADDF-Harrington Scholar Program is dedicated to advancing academic discoveries into medicines for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This award provides funding and project support by a team of pharmaceutical industry experts through a collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and the Brain Health Medicines Centers of the Harrington Discovery Institute. _This is a special funding opportunity separate from ADDF’s Therapeutic Funding Programs._

NOTE Funding is provided through mission-related investments that require return on investment based upon scientific and/or business milestones (see Our Research Strategy for more information). Average Award

The award typically entails up to $600,000 over 2 years with dedicated support for milestone-driven projects from a team of industry veterans with capabilities that include medicinal chemistry, pharmacology & toxicology, and business development. The expertise of each team is tailored to the specific needs of the project during the two-year award period. DEADLINES

_Applications must be received by 5:00 pm ET on the deadline date._

Letter of Intent: Date has Passed

Full Proposal: August 17, 2026

Award decisions are anticipated by March 2027. Eligibility Criteria Academic investigators at accredited medical centers, research institutions, and universities in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom only are eligible to apply. Lead investigator must have an MD, a PhD, or equivalent. Proposals should show potential to advance discovery into meaningful therapeutics to treat, prevent, slow, or reverse Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias (vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy Body dementia, LATE etc). Team should possess intellectual property (IP) or have potential for novel IP that has not yet been licensed to a for-profit entity. Researchers working on drug development programs that are relevant to but not presently focused on the Alzheimer’s field are strongly encouraged to apply. Funding Priorities

Drug Targets

The ADDF-Harrington Scholar RFP places high priority on targets related to emerging therapeutic areas for dementia, particularly: _Proteostasis_ (including autophagy, lysosomal biogenesis, proteasomal degradation, post-translational modification associated with proteostasis, protein folding/misfolding, ER stress, extracellular clearance) _Senescence_ (including cells that have halted division, shifted towards a secretory phenotype, altered morphology and epigenetics, and decreased apoptosis)

Other novel targets are encouraged. These include, but are not limited to: Epigenetics Vascular pathology Neuroprotection Synaptic activity and neurotransmitters Inflammation Mitochondrial health Antioxidant defense Metabolic function and brain energy Brain insulin resistance ApoE Glymphatic clearance Postnatal neurogenesis Other aging targets

Therapeutic targets with a clear marker of target engagement, either established or in development will be considered of high priority.

The ADDF-Harrington Scholar Program does not support anti-amyloid approaches (e.g. Abeta vaccines, beta- or gamma-secretase inhibitors) or cholinesterase inhibitors. Approaches targeting tau will be considered if it is clearly demonstrated how they are distinct from those already in clinical development.

Stage of Discovery

The ADDF-Harrington Scholar Program supports research ranging from the hit-to-lead optimization stage through investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies. A lead structural series must already be identified at the time of application.

Applicants are asked to provide hit validation data, including dose-response curves, analog structure-activity relationship (SAR) results, and comparison data against known molecules with a similar mechanism or mode of action.

When animal model data are reported, detailed study design including rationale for choice of animal model, power analysis to determine number…

Topic areas: Life Sciences and Health.

Funding amount

This grant provides Varies in funding.

Deadline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; there is no single fixed deadline.

Who can apply

This opportunity is open to the following applicant types:

• Not specified by the program.

Eligibility

The program did not publish a separate eligibility statement. See the official opportunity page for the full eligibility criteria.

Agency

ADDF-Harrington Scholar Program RFP is administered by Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), listed via Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation.