New Consortium to Sponsor Alzheimer Research Grants

A new consortium plans to award up to $750,000 in grants by the end of the year to scientists at universities and research institutes for the development of new research models that mimic features of Alzheimer's disease.

The consortium will help make these new models available to Alzheimer researchers at academic and non-profit organizations as well as in pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

The Alzheimer's Association, Institute for the Study of Aging and Pfizer are among the founding members of the consortium. Each will provide funds for the research grants.

"While we have some useful drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease symptoms, we need to develop medications that will stop the progression of the disease as well as treatments that will prevent the disease from occurring," said William Thies, president of the consortium and a vice-president at the Alzheimer's Association.

Theis said better animal models of Alzheimer's disease pathology and the underlying mechanisms of the disease will enable the scientific community to further understand the disease process and test potential drug candidates.

Other sources: Alzheimer's Association