ALZHEIMER'S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Drug Discovery
The ADDF is focused on translational research—translating the knowledge we have gained about the underlying causes of Alzheimer's disease into drugs. We fund programs in academia and biotechnology companies worldwide, with priority funding in drug development, clinical trials, biomarkers, and prevention.
ADDF Access
ADDF Access provides academic and small biotechnology researchers with access to a virtual network of contract research organizations, drug development experts and educational resources.
Aging and Alzheimer's Prevention Program
The ADDF's Aging and Alzheimer's Prevention program provides an independent scientific evaluation of the evidence surrounding pharmaceuticals, supplements and natural products that claim to prevent or delay cognitive aging and Alzheimer's. The program also works to enhance innovative approaches to strengthen the evidence for prevention through targeted funding.
Where we work
External reviews

Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total dollar amount of grants awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Drug Discovery
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of grants awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Drug Discovery
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of organizational partners
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of organizations applying for grants
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
We aim to support the most promising, novel Alzheimer's drug discovery research--from drug target validation through early-phase clinical trials--to find an effective treatment, and cure, for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We regularly seek and promote requests for proposals from researchers around the world; evaluate the promise of these proposals with our team of neuroscientists and our independent, renowned Scientific Review Board; and invest in the research that our team has deemed the most promising.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have a highly regarded science team led by Howard Fillit, MD, a leader in geriatric medicine, and a supporting staff of four PhD neuroscientists. Additionally, our Scientific Review Board provides outside, independent evaluation of the quality of the grant proposals we receive and make recommendations for funding.
In 2013, we invested more than $8 million in the drug discovery research recommended by this team.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Though we do not yet have an FDA-approved, disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, we have made significant progress. In 2012, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Amyvid™, the first diagnostic test for Alzheimer's disease. The ADDF seed-funded the research for Amyvid™ from 2000–2004. Amyvid™ is improving and accelerating clinical trials for by ensuring that all patients enrolled have Alzheimer's disease.
Of the nearly 500 programs in which we've invested, 38 have advanced to the clinical trial stage and more than 20 of those are ongoing. Programs we have funded represent approximately 20% of all treatments currently in clinical trials for Alzheimer's (using October 2015 data from clinicaltrials.gov and Alzforum.org).
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
ALZHEIMER'S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION
Board of directorsas of 09/12/2022
Leonard A. Lauder
Ronald S. Lauder
Randal Sandler
Bridgewater Associates
Thomas F. McWilliams
Private Investor
Robert A. Belfer
Belfer Management
Roberta Diaz Brinton
University of Arizona
Nancy Corzine
Nancy Corzine Inc.
Lanny Edelsohn
Christiana Care Health Systems, Inc.
Bonnie Pfeifer Evans
Corcoran Group Real Estate
Melvin R. Goodes
Warner-Lambert
Nancy Goodes
Melvin R. Goodes Family Foundation, Inc.
Miia Kivipelto
Karolinska Institutet (KI) Center for Alzheimer Research
Gary Lauder
Lauder Partners LLC
Laurence C. Leeds
Buckingham Capital Management, Inc.
Richard C. Mohs
Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation
Beatriz Illescas Putzeys-Claugus
The Foundation for a Better World
Sharon T. Sager
UBS Private Wealth Management
Alice Shure
AMICI Productions LLC
Thomas S. Smith
Home Care Assistance, Inc.
Sally Susman
Pfizer Inc
David R. Weinreb
Weinreb Ventures
Paula Zahn
Discovery ID
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/20/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.