Annual Report 2014 - Alzheimer Synapsis

SYNAPSIS
FOUNDATION
Alzheimer Research Switzerland ARS
Foundation for the Suppor t of Research on Alzheimer’s Disease
and other Neurodegenerative Diseases
A nnual Repor t 2 0 14
In the past years, the following organisations have provided generous support to the Synapsis Foundation
– Alzheimer Research Switzerland ARS:
Adolf und Mary Mil-Stiftung, Zürich
Banca del Gottardo, Lugano
Bank Morgan Stanley AG, Zürich
BDO AG, Zürich
Bürgenstock Foundation, Vaduz LI
Dr. med. Arthur und Estella Hirzel-Callegari Stiftung, Zurzach
Edwin und Lina Gossweiler Stiftung, Dübendorf
First Advisory Group, Vaduz LI
Fondazione per lo studio delle malattie neurodegenerative, Lugano
Gabriela Charitable Trust, Lugano
Georg und Bertha Schwyzer-Winiker-Stiftung, Zürich
Gottfried und Julia Bangerter-Rhyner-Stiftung, Bern
Heidi Seiler-Stiftung, Bern
Longa + Sohn AG, Zürich
Max und Else Noldin Stiftung, Zug
MBF Foundation, Triesen LI
Raiffeisenbank Schaffhausen, Schaffhausen
René und Susanne Braginsky-Stiftung, Zürich
Schüller-Stiftung, Zürich
Schweizerische Mobiliar Genossenschaft, Bern
Stammbach-Stiftung, Basel
Staub/Kaiser-Stiftung, Winterthur
Stavros Niarchos Foundation
Stiftung Kastanienhof, Zürich
Truus und Gerrit-van-Riemsdijk Stiftung, Vaduz LI
Uniscientia Stiftung, Vaduz
Ursula Ströher Stiftung, Basel
Verband der Auslandsbanken in der Schweiz, Zürich
VSM-Stiftung, Glarus
WM Partners Vermögensverwaltung AG, Zürich
In addition, the foundation has received generous donations from private benefactors and from organisations,
who wish to remain anonymous, as well as memorial donations and donations from legacies.
S ynapsis Foundation – A lzheimer Research Swit zerland A RS
Zollikerstrasse 27 | CH-8008 Zurich | Telephone +41 44 271 35 11 | [email protected] | www.Alzheimer-Synapsis.ch
Donation account: PC 85-244800-5, IBAN CH04 0900 0000 8524 4800 5
Editorial
Dear friends and patrons of the Synapsis Foundation,
The Synapsis Foundation – Alzheimer Research Switzerland AFS
is looking back on another very successful year. It was successful
in the sense that it was able to raise the volume of donations necessary to support excellent research projects that relate directly
to Alzheimer’s disease. The Foundation is now well established
and much appreciated by the Swiss research community and able
to choose the very best research projects from an ever increasing
number of applications.
In the past year, the fate of dementia has been the subject of several films. The German drama «Honig im Kopf» and «Still Alice»
from the US are only two examples. I certainly welcome the fact
that Alzheimer’s has now arrived in Hollywood. The Hollywood
treatment does not make Alzheimer’s less terrifying, but certainly helps to remove some of the stigma that is still attached to the
disease. The films show that Alzheimer’s, like other diseases, is a
terrible twist of fate that can befall any of us. Both films draw a
sensitive portrait of people who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.
Although the protagonists in the course of the disease stray more
and more from the norm in their thoughts and deeds, they still
radiate joy and dignity.
Without wishing to question the distress or lessen the difficulties
that patients suffer, I believe that the cinematic treatment helps
to reduce the terrifying fear of the disease and increase social acceptance.
As is usual at this point, in the name of the trustees, the scientific committee and the bureau, I wish to express our gratitude for
your continued support.
Dr Margrit Leuthold
President of the Board of
Trustees
1
Let us not forget that, in our organization as elsewhere, every
franc counts. Small donations, too, make an important contribution to finding the causes of dementia and exposing the path to a
cure.
Let us walk this path together!
Por trait of
the Foundation
The Synapsis Foundation – Alzheimer Research Switzerland ARS
is a non-profit, tax-exempt foundation under Swiss law and is supervised by the Federal Department of Home Affairs. Hence, according to federal and cantonal taxation law, donations in Switzerland can be deducted in the tax declaration – if legally permissible.
Purpose of
the Foundation
The purpose of the Synapsis Foundation – Alzheimer Research
Switzerland ARS is to support research conducted in Switzerland
on Alzheimer‘s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. In
accordance with a decision by the Board of Trustees in 2010, the
Foundation will continue to focus on Alzheimer’s disease. Other
neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Parkinson‘s, multiple sclerosis,
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and the study of prion diseases continue to be considered but will be given lower priority.
Strategy
In 2014, the foundation continued to implement and systematize
the objectives that were formulated in its «Strategy 2011+».
The main components of the current strategy are:
•In the coming years, the Synapsis Foundation – Alzheimer
Research Switzerland ARS will continue to concentrate its
efforts and focus on Alzheimer’s research
•The foundation wishes to continue to support young, promising
researchers
•Research grants are attributed after a public tendering process
•Appeals for donations are made by direct mailing and are sent to
households in all three language regions of Switzerland several
times per year. We seek to reach a broader donor base, thereby
ensuring sustainable support for our activities.
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees of the Synapsis Foundation – Alzheimer
Research Switzerland ARS is the governing body and consists of
at least three people. The members of the board are elected for a
term of three years. Re-election is permitted.
The Board of Trustees manages the foundation’s affairs and its
financial assets and represents the foundation. The Board of
Trustees is authorized to delegate duties such as the management of current business, accounting or asset management to
individual members or third parties. The board members are not
compensated for their activities.
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Five members served on the Board of Trustees in 2014:
•Dr Margrit Leuthold, President; Managing Director, Stiftung
patientensicherheit schweiz, Zurich
•Prof. em. Denis Monard, Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel and former President of the Academy of
Natural Sciences Switzerland (SCNAT)
•Danielle Y. Schwaar, Reuss Private, Bremgarten
•Prof. Brigitte Tag, Chair of criminal law, criminal proceedings
and medical law, Institute of Law, University of Zurich
•Dr Daniel Vonder Mühll, Managing Director SystemsX.ch: The
Swiss Initiative in Systems Biology, Zurich
Scientific Advisor y
Board
The Board of Trustees appoints a scientific panel of experts («Scientific Advisory Board») and nominates its head. The Scientific Advisory
Board consists of at least three members.
The Scientific Advisory Board advises the Board of Trustees on scientific matters and plays a central role in the evaluation and supervision
of the supported research projects.
In 2014, four experts served on the Scientific Advisory Board:
•Prof. Adriano Aguzzi, Head; Institut für Neuropathologie des Universitätsspitals Zürich, Zürich
•Prof. Christian Haass, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, AdolfButenandt-Institut, Abteilung für Biochemie, München
•Prof. Pierre Magistretti, Université de Lausanne and Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne
•Prof. Magdalini Polymenidou, Institut für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Zürich, Zürich
Board of Patrons
To ensure the continued success and renown of the foundation, it
is supported by a committee of patrons that consists of prominent
Swiss personalities.
In 2014, the following patron members endorsed the work of the
Synapsis Foundation:
•Prof. Mario Botta, architect, Mendrisio
•Prof. Martin Täuber, Universität Bern
•Prof. Kurt Wüthrich, Eidgenösische Technische Hochschule, Zürich and The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), La Jolla, CA, USA
•Prof. Thomas Zeltner, Universität Bern and Stiftung Science et
Cité, Bern
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Management
The Board of Trustees commissions a managing director, to whom
it delegates management tasks and who, together with his team, is
in charge of the operative level. The managing director attends the
meetings of the Board of Trustees in an advisory capacity.
In 2014, the following persons were in the managing team (1.5 fulltime positions):
•Erich Tschirky, Managing Director
•Viktorija Rion, Deputy Managing Director, research promotion
•Thomas Frey, Accounting and Finance
•Karin Kipfer, Administration
•Christine Schneider, Communication and Fundraising
Auditors
The Board of Trustees selects an independent auditor. The auditor examines the financial statements and reports to the Board of
Trustees annually. The auditors shall inform the supervisory authority of the defects which they discovered and reported to the
Board of Trustees and which have not been resolved by the board
within a reasonable time.
In 2014, the auditors were BDO AG (Grenchen).
On the track of an
insidious poison to
the memor y function
Of flies and men
Is it possible that a small fly that can procreate after only nine
days holds the key to one of the great mysteries in Alzheimer’s
research? Is it possible that the short-lived and usually rather bothersome fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, can provide us with
fundamental knowledge of the origin of this wretched disease,
which usually requires years to develop in man?
«Yes indeed», says Simon Sprecher, Professor of Neurobiology at
the University of Friburg: «The fly is surprisingly similar to humans.» Life has invented many things once only and then applied
the blueprint to the most diverse of creatures. An example is the
fruit fly, which is probably the most widely-studied animal for
modelling the development of life.
Prof. Simon Sprecher
University of Fribourg
It began with his doctoral thesis at the University of Basel where
Simon Sprecher studied the brain development of the fruit fly. At
New York University he became known for his new insights into
Drosophila’s visual system. Since his appointment in Fribourg in
2009, he and his group have pursued the question of memory and
its converse, the «biology of forgetting». As a child, he tells us, he
was fascinated by lions and this interest in animals ultimately led
him to biology. Finally, it was the small Drosophila that captured
his attention. Now, he is applying his wealth of knowledge to the
understanding of the still unknown causes of Alzheimer’s disease.
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A good chance
of finding answers
The 39-year-old researcher and his group are supported by the
Synapsis Foundation – Alzheimer Research Switzerland ARS.
Their project investigates the theory that agents that remain
undiscovered cause the early damage that is ultimately characterized by the typical white amyloid-beta deposits in the brain.
Sprecher’s group investigates small, suspicious components of
amyloid-beta. There is good evidence that these «oligomers» act
as early secret spoilsports in this terrible game. They may block
the transmission of signals and, thereby, inhibit the correct operation and maintenance of the switching points (synapses). This
affects memory adversely.
Two important pathways are targeted. In flies, as in man, commands are passed along these paths. At the University of Fribourg,
the research focuses on two previously unrecognized genetic factors that collaborate with the suspected oligomers as «partners
in crime» in disturbing the command relay. It is possible to study
in the short-lived Drosophila what afflicts people at the end of a
long life – the decline and even disappearance of memory. Thanks
to the chosen strategy and a model that can accurately measure
how the fly’s memory is affected by certain factors, there is a good
chance of finding answers. The model is validated and the toolbox
is ready. After a year of intensive preparation, the research journey has begun.
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Fighting helplessness with generosit y
How Har tmut and Ilse
Schneider came to
suppor t research on
Alzheimer’s disease
The Synapsis Foundation – Alzheimer Research Switzerland ARS has
received a generous legacy from the industrialist couple Hartmut
and Ilse Schneider. Thanks to their bequest, support for Swiss
research projects can now be significantly increased. This munificent gift is characteristic of the couple’s forward-looking approach
– and the fascinating story behind it deserves to be told.
The story, in a nutshell, involves Hartmut Schneider and his beloved Ilse leaving behind war torn Germany for Thailand, seizing
the opportunities that arose there and, ultimately, giving back to
society the material rewards they had reaped over their lifetime
together. Having remained childless, the couple had resolved in
good time to use their considerable fortune, in particular, to provide protection and support for those who are the future and
should have a future – children and young people.
Fleeing across the ice
For all their prosperity, the couple’s later years were increasingly overshadowed by Hartmut’s illness, and along with a sense of
helplessness there was a growing wish to contribute to research
efforts that could – at least in the future – help to alleviate or even
prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Their hope was that never again
should two people who had shared so much over five decades together have to lose each other as a result of this disease.
Hartmut Wilhelm Schneider was born in Dauber, a tiny village in
East Prussia, in 1930. His father farmed two large estates. Hartmut,
the eldest child, spent a happy childhood with four sisters and a
brother, until the war brutally intervened. In October 1944, as
the Red Army advanced on East Prussia, the family prepared to
flee westwards. The father – called up – was unable to accompany
them, and the children never saw him again.
Finding the western route blocked by foreign troops, the family
headed northwards to the Baltic Coast, hoping to escape by sea.
Fourteen-year-old Hartmut helped his mother by looking after
the youngest girl (Gisela) as the seven family members made the
11 kilometre trek across the Vistula Lagoon (Frisches Haff) – frozen in the harsh winter temperatures – taking with them no more
than what a rucksack and a small sledge would hold. After waiting
anxiously for several weeks, they managed to board a ship bound
for Denmark, leaving all their belongings behind. Destitute, the
family found refuge in a camp in Jutland.
In the months that followed, Hartmut Schneider must have grown
up very quickly. At the refugee camp, he displayed a talent for
organization, taking part in drama and teaching activities. Four
years later, the family moved to Hamburg, where Hartmut received commercial training and attended evening classes. Here, he met
6
S triking it luck y
with tubes
Ilse Berger, two years younger than him, who was also studying
for the «Abitur». She qualified at the same time – and became the
love of his life.
After completing his studies, Hartmut Schneider would have liked
to work as a journalist. But he was made an offer he could not refuse:
his employer, a Hanseatic trading company, asked him to manage
its office in Thailand. Hartmut accepted. He arrived in Bangkok in
1953, and six months later he persuaded Ilse to join him. Shortly
after she landed in Bangkok from Singapore, the couple made their
way to the embassy – to formalize their relationship.
Despite the tropical climate, the young entrepreneur was in his
element. Seeing that this was a land of opportunity, he hit upon the
idea of manufacturing aluminium collapsible tubes – from which,
for example, toothpaste could be squeezed onto a toothbrush.
With the backing of business associates, he founded the Alucon
Manufacturing Company in 1961 and production commenced the
following year. The first major customer was Colgate. The business
took off, and the company subsequently also manufactured other
types of aluminium containers: aerosol cans for cosmetics and
other products, felt pen bodies – and aluminium slugs (blanks) by
the ton. Alucon started exporting in 1969, became a public listed
company in 1989 and, in 1995, entered into a joint venture with
Takeuchi Press Industries, a Japanese business. This alliance – led
by a member of the Takeuchi family from 1997 – smoothed the
company’s transition into the next millennium. In 2013, Alucon’s
plants manufactured three-quarters of a billion products and
30,000 tons of aluminium slugs. Hartmut Schneider’s vision had
been turned into a sustainable business.
Over all these years, Ilse Schneider was an active partner. According to a family friend, the couple were inseparable. They were also
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Ten dark years – and a
decision for the future
closely involved with the expat community. Hartmut Schneider
was a leading Rotarian. He loved the country and – as a member
of the Siam Society – helped to preserve its cultural heritage.
He travelled to remote regions, was interested in indigenous cultures and visited festivals showcasing Asia’s ethnic diversity. The
Schneiders were sometimes accompanied by Esther Kaufmann, a
Swiss who became a friend of the family in Bangkok. She recalls
Hartmut’s deep attachment to Thailand: as well as keeping a journal, he was a passionate photographer, and had he not already
been an industrialist he could easily have become an enthusiastic ethnographer. Although he had no offspring of his own, he
was very fond of children and – in remote northern regions, for
example – was horrified by the living conditions which many of
them had to endure. This was something he wanted to change.
Hartmut Schneider had handed over executive responsibility for
the company in 1997, but he continued to serve as Chairman. In
the new millennium, however, his memory began to fail. Initially,
his occasional lapses could be glossed over, but in 2004, as the episodes became more severe, the couple travelled to Zurich so that
Hartmut could undergo tests at the University Hospital. He was
diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
As Esther Kaufmann now recalls, «It was unbearable for Ilse to
watch her husband slipping away.» She was heartbroken as the
gifted and energetic man she had shared so much with began
to fade away. Their beautiful house in Bangkok, built in the Thai
style, which had so often been a place of hospitality, now served
as a hospital.
Feeling helpless as far as the present was concerned, it occurred to
Ilse Schneider that maybe something could be done for the future.
She decided to provide funding to support research through Synapsis Foundation, perhaps thus better able to come to terms with
the shadow cast over the couple’s life together.
In 2012, Ilse died unexpectedly. Her husband passed away two
years later, ten years after the diagnosis. Both live on in their
charitable works: children and young people in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos are benefiting from ongoing projects. In Chiang Mai
province, for example, boarding houses are being built for girls
attending school from far away villages who – because they are
not allowed to spend the night in monasteries like the boys – end
up sleeping on the streets. For its part, the Synapsis Foundation –
Alzheimer Research Switzerland ARS has launched a number of
interesting new projects which could ultimately help to mitigate
the devastating effects of this disease – as Ilse Schneider would
have wished during her own lifetime. Her example could well
inspire other donors.
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Repor t – Research
Suppor t in 2014
In accordance with the foundation’s mission, the Synapsis Foundation – Alzheimer Research Switzerland ARS – supports scientific
research of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.
In 2014, the following projects were supported:
•Dr Lavinia Albéri, Université de Fribourg, «Implication of Notch
signaling in neuronal plasticity and AD phenotype»
•Prof. Bogdan Draganski, CHUV Lausanne, «Development of a composite imaging/gait-behaviour biomarker for early detection of
cognitive impairment in ageing»
•Prof. Denis Jabaudon, Université de Genève, «Genetic Programs
Controlling Corticospinal Neuron Specification»
•Prof. Vladimir Katanaev, Université de Lausanne, «Investigation
of the influence of Abeta42 on synaptic Wnt signaling using Drosophila neuromuscular junction as the glutamatergic synapse
model»
•Prof. Pierre Maechler, Université de Genève, «Glutamate dehydrogenase as a new potential therapeutic target in Alzheimer’s
disease»
•Irène Meier, Universität Zürich, «Assessment of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Positron Emission Tomography-Derived
Neurodegenerative and Cerebrovascular Markers of Alzheimer‘s
Disease»
•Prof. Lawrence Rajendran, Universität Zürich, «A role of Presenilin-2 as a negative regulator of β-amyloid levels»
•Dr Francesco Roselli, Friedrich Miescher Institut Basel, «Chemogenetic approaches to investigate astrocyte role in Alzheimer´s
Disease and ALS»
•Prof. Markus Rüegg, Universität Basel, «The role of Copine 6 as an
essential regulator of synaptic plasticity, learning and memory»
•Dr Smita Saxena, Universität Bern, «Understanding C9ORF72: a
novel player in the pathology of ALS/ FTLD»
•Prof. Peter Scheiffele, Universität Basel, «A targeted proteomics approach to uncover synaütic pathophysiology of neuronal disorders»
•Prof. Simon Sprecher, Université de Fribourg, «Characterization
of genetic pathways mediating synapse dysfunction in a Drosophila Alzheimer´s disease model»
•Dr Ron Stoop, CHUV Lausanne, «Oxytocin as a key factor in the
behavioural and psychological symptoms of Alzheimer‘s disease»
•Dr Luca Varani, Institute for Research in Biomedicine Bellinzona,
«Antibodies as a tool to investigate prion protein toxicity»
•Prof. Patrick Viollier, Université de Genève, «Structure-function
analysis, chemical inhibitor screen and resistance mechanism of
transglutaminase enzymes»
•Dr David Winkler, Universitätsspital Basel, «A novel diagnostic
approach for Alzheimer’s disease based on the prion-like properties of tau»
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Thanks to the generous support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, two Career Development Awards were advertised at the
Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich in 2014. One of these
has been granted to Dr med. Regina Reimann at the end of 2014.
The selection process for the second Award will take place in 2015.
Call for Proposals
2014
The fourth public call for tenders for innovative research projects
at Swiss universities took place in May, 2014. Young researchers
were invited to apply with a description of their research project.
The maximal grant given by the Synapsis Foundation – Alzheimer
Research Switzerland AFS is CHF 300,000 over (max.) three years.
The aim is to support doctoral and post-doctoral research at Swiss
universities and research facilities.
Thematically, the Call for Proposals focus on:
•Basic research in genetics, molecular and cell biology of
Alzheimer ’s disease and related dementia diseases
•Innovative approaches for the pre-symptomatic diagnosis of
Alzheimer ’s disease.
By the closing date in July, 2014, 29 research projects had been
received. These were assessed by the Scientific Committee, which
then made their recommendations to the Board of Trustees. The
main evaluation criteria are:
•originality of the project proposal
•scientific quality
•feasibility
•relevance to the call
The Board of Trustees, based on the Scientific Committee’s recommendations, decided to support the following eight excellent
projects:
•Prof. Camilla Bellone, Université de Lausanne, «Early synaptic
dysfunction in HD model: role of GluN3A»
•Dr Maria Soledad Esposito, Friedrich Miescher Institut Basel,
«Cause and consequence of Parkinson’s disease in the midbrain
locomotor command center»
•Prof. Johannes Gräf, Brain Mind Institute, EPFL Lausanne, «Traces
towards dementia: Identifying neuronal subpopulations and pathogenic mechanisms at presymptomatic stages of Alzheimer’s
disease in a new mouse model»
•Dr Annika Keller, Universitätsspital Zürich, «Elucidating the
pathogenic mechanism of small vessel calcification in idiopathic
basal ganglia calcification»
10
•Prof. Anders Meibom, EPFL Lausanne, «Cellular-level Signatures
of Pre-Symptomatic Neurodegenerative Disease Progression:
Hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance and Correlated TEM/NanoSIMS Imaging»
•Prof. Lawrence Rajendran, Universität Zürich, «Boosting lysosome function for Alzheimer ’s disease»
•Prof. Nicolas Toni, Université de Lausanne, «Role of astrocytes
in the regulation of adult neurogenesis and hippocampaldependent memory in the aged brain»
•Prof. Henning Stahlberg, Universität Basel, «The Structure of
Prionoid Tau Strains»
A public call for tenders for new research projects is planned
for 2015. This procedure is intended to ensure fair competition
among projects and the high quality that we are seeking.
Management Repor t
Fundraising and public
relations
The research projects funded by the Synapsis Foundation –
Alzheimer Research Switzerland ARS and the foundation’s
activities are financed by donations.
The Synapsis Foundation is seeking funds from other foundations,
as well as from advisors of potential benefactors – advisers such
as asset managers, finance consultants, lawyers and notaries
– as well as at companies. These regularly receive our annual
report in spring and a newsletter in autumn. Personal contacts
with potential donors are also maintained on a regular basis. In
2014, with the support of these institutional donors and the many
generous individual donations, the Synapsis Foundation –
Alzheimer Research Switzerland ARS was able to raise an
appropriate amount of funds.
Since 2011, the foundation also has been supported by the larger
public. Appeals for donations are made by direct mail and are sent
to households in all three language regions several times per year.
In 2014, we again invested in direct mail. This approach consolidates and enlarges the private donor base and ensures sustainable
support for research projects. These investments should assure
the long-term funding of the foundation’s activities and increase
its Swiss public’s awareness.
In 2014, the increasing visibility of the foundation led to more
donations to Synapsis Foundation – Alzheimer Research Switzerland ARS by condolence donations and bequests.
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Financial Statement
2014
Accounting, capitalization and valuation in accordance with the
provisions of the Code of Obligations (CO) and under Swiss GAAP
FER 21.
The detailed financial statements can be provided on request.
Annual statement
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Claims
Accrued income
Total assets
31.12.2014
CHF
8’151’773.88
31.12.2013
CHF
7’630’168.91
8’144’325.13
7’620’778.86
8’151’773.88
7’630’168.91
289’866.70
88’866.65
7’590’000.00
7’290’000.00
1’389.05487.05
0.00
0.00
Liabilities
Short-term liabilities
Other short-term liabilities
Deferred income
Capital funds (earmarked)
Research Promotion Fund
Organizational capital
Endowment capital
Generated unrestricted capital
Total liabilities
281’166.7080’066.65
8’700.00
7’590’000.00
271’907.18
100’000.00
171’907.18
8’151’773.88
8’800.00
7’290’000.00
251’302.26
100’000.00
151’302.26
7’630’168.91
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Profit and
loss account
Donations
4’180’066.026’433’777.50
4’180’066.02
6’433’777.50
Direct project costs
1’126’892.85
612’229.65
Donations income
Total income
Administration costs
Fundraising, public relations
Administrative expenses
Operating results
Financial income
Financial expenses
4’180’066.02
67’452.91
2’616’860.70
2’684’313.61 24’539.95
2’666.96
320’604.92
Utilization for research
promotion fund
Profit allocation
Change re. organizational capital
Year result 2
1’001’110.03
50’921.60
Year result 1
Change re. pledged funds
86’459.13
914’650.90
4’820’437.82
-48’254.64
Allocation research
promotion fund 6’433’777.50
368’859.56
Financial results
Release of prov.
for pledged donations
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20142013
CHF
CHF
0.00
1’461.17
-23’078.78
0.00
4’797’359.04
300’000.00 4’790’000.000
-300’000.00 -4’790’000.00
0.00
20’604.92
-20’604.92
0.00
0.00
7’359.04
-7’359.04
0.00
Auditors’ repor t
(limited audit) to
the Board of Trustees
of the S ynapsis
Foundation – Alzheimer
Research Swit zerland
A RS, Zurich
As auditors, we have reviewed the annual accounts (balance
sheet, income statement, cash flow statement, statement of changes in capital and notes) of the Synapsis Foundation – Alzheimer
Research Switzerland ARS for the year ended 31 December 2014.
Under the Swiss accounting and reporting guidelines for charitable, non-profit organisations (GAAP FER 21), information given in
the performance report does not need to be audited.
The Board of Trustees is responsible for preparing the annual
accounts in accordance with Swiss GAAP FER 21, legal requirements and the Articles of Association, while our task is to review
these accounts. We confirm that we meet the legal requirements
concerning accreditation and independence.
Our audit was conducted in accordance with the Swiss standards
for limited audits, which require the audit to be planned and conducted in such a way as to identify material misstatements in the
annual accounts. A limited audit primarily involves interviews
and analytical audit activities, as well as such detailed inspections of available documents as are deemed appropriate in the
circumstances.
A limited audit does not, however, include reviews of operating
procedures and the internal control system, or interviews or
other audit activities designed to detect fraud or other violations.
In our audit, we did not find anything to indicate that the annual accounts do not accurately reflect the organisation’s assets,
financial position and earnings in accordance with Swiss GAAP
FER 21, or that they fail to comply with the law or the Articles of
Association.
Grenchen, 13 April 2015
BDO AG
Christoph Kaufmann
Accredited auditing expert
Reto Bur
Lead auditor
Accredited auditing expert
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