A $10M investment in memory loss treatments

The Lauder Foundation and the Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation are on a mission to treat neurodegenerative disorders.

The foundations have each committed $5 million to develop effective treatments for frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), a complex form of dementia affecting more than 50,000 Americans. Their donations will create The Treat FTD Fund to accelerate clinical trials for FTD over the next decade.

The fund is a joint program of The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (ATFD). Partners say the fund has the potential to advance treatments for other neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).  

“My wife, Susan, suffered from primary progressive aphasia, a form of FTD,” Donald Newhouse says in a press release. “My brother, Si, suffers from the same dementia. Si’s wife, Victoria, and I and our families are committed to research to find treatments and a cure for FTD and Alzheimer’s. The partnership between the ADDF and AFTD is a significant step forward in carrying out our commitment.”

The Treat FTD Fund builds on recent successes of both foundations in early-stage drug discovery and biomarker development. The ADDF and AFTD will support new drugs in clinical trials as well as repurposed drugs. A request for proposals is expected to be announced this summer on www.alzdiscovery.org and www.theafd.org. 

Nicole Stempak

Nicole was Senior Editor at I Advance Senior Care and Long Term Living Magazine 2015-2017. She has a Journalism degree from Kent State University and is finalizing a master’s degree in Information Architecture and Management. She has extensive studies in the digital user experience and in branding online media. She has worked as an editor and writer for various B2B publications, including Business Finance.