The Lawrence and Isabel Barnett Drug Development Program
Forecasted
The Lawrence and Isabel Barnett Drug Development Program supports industry and academic investigators in preclinical testing of novel or repurposed ALS therapies to advance candidates toward clinical testing.
Funder: ALS Association
Due Dates (Anticipated): December 2026 (Invited full proposal) | October 2027 (Letter of intent)
Funding Amounts: Up to $500,000 in total costs over a maximum of two years
Summary: Supports preclinical assessment of novel or repurposed ALS therapies to advance treatment candidates toward clinical testing.
Key Information: The applicant organization must control the therapeutic’s intellectual property, except for projects repurposing generic medications.
Description
The ALS Association’s Lawrence and Isabel Barnett Drug Development Program funds preclinical assessment of novel therapies and repurposed treatment approaches for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It supports industry and academic investigators with a development candidate in hand, prioritizing programs with a high probability of entering clinical testing within two to three years. Proposals should demonstrate a compelling biological rationale and a clear development roadmap with essential go/no-go milestones.
Topics of interest include in vivo efficacy testing of pharmacological, biological, and gene therapies in ALS models; pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies; preclinical toxicology and safety; dose-range finding; target engagement; and other Investigational New Drug-enabling studies. Repurposing approved or clinically safe therapies from other diseases is appropriate. Early drug discovery and clinical trials are not supported.
