Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation Partners with Shionogi and Janssen Pharmaceuticals for its Diagnostics Accelerator Initiative

The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) announced a partnership with Shionogi & Co., Ltd.  and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as part of its  Diagnostics Accelerator, an initiative that aims to fast-track the development of novel biomarkers for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

This collaborative effort, announced October 18 at the World Dementia Council summit held in Tokyo, will allow access to high-quality patient samples that will help demonstrate how well a biomarker will perform in patients with the disease. The clinical samples and imaging biomarker data provided through this agreement were collected under informed consent to allow use of those samples for research purposes in past clinical trials.

“We are excited to partner with Shionogi and Janssen as an extension of the collaborative efforts of ADDF’s Diagnostics Accelerator, a coalition of philanthropists who all share the common goal of combating the rising burden of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Howard Fillit, Founding Executive Director and Chief Science Officer of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. “These samples will play an important role in helping to accelerate the development of new biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. Our goal is to fast-track programs to prevent, treat, and ultimately cure Alzheimer's disease.

Biomarkers are a research priority for the ADDF, as they play an important role for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. Reliable, affordable, and accessible biomarkers have the potential to revolutionize how we approach Alzheimer's disease by allowing us to more easily identify people for clinical trials and more accurately monitor their response to treatments. The ADDF’s Diagnostics Accelerator is a coalition of funders with funding commitments totaling nearly $50 million from partners including ADDF Co-Founder Leonard Lauder, Bill Gates, Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos, the Dolby family, the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, among others.