About ADDF Overview
Alzheimer’s disease costs U.S. society more than $170 billion annually, making it the third most costly disease in the U.S. Only heart disease and cancer cost more.
The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation was established in 2004 as a public charity to support the advancement of drugs to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias, and cognitive aging. Our strategy of venture philanthropy is based on the idea that our research grant recipients are engaged in projects that are potentially viable in the marketplace with a possible return on investment. Our strategy has proven successful. The projects we have funded made measurable scientific strides, and some have returned their initial funding.
As of the end of 2008, ADDF and its affiliate, the Institute for the Study of Aging (ISOA), a private foundation established by the Estée Lauder family in 1998, have awarded more than $36 million to over 270 research programs worldwide. They also have invested over $8 million in 35 biotechnology companies which have received follow-on commitments of over $1 billion.