19 May 2015 – Kirchner Group is pleased to announce that it acted as an advisor on due diligence to the Alaska Permanent Fund (represented by Crestline Investors) in the recently announced Denali Therapeutics Inc. transaction.

San Francisco-based Denali was founded with a $217M initial investment which is among the largest ever Series A fundings for a biotech startup. Denali’s primary focus is to discover and develop breakthrough therapies to treat neurodegenerative diseases, principally Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (or Lou Gehrig’s disease).

Initial investors included leading technology venture capital firms Fidelity Biosciences, ARCH Venture Partners, Flagship Ventures and the Alaska Permanent Fund (represented by Crestline Investors).

This latest biotech success complements Kirchner Group’s recent advisory role in Juno Therapeutics’ Series A and Series B rounds.

“I am proud that our team has shown the depth and breadth of experience that enabled us to play a key role in bringing game changing approaches to address two of the major health challenges in the world today” stated Patrick McNees, Managing Partner of Kirchner Group’s Health and Life Sciences Team.

A copy of the press release announcing the formation of Denali Therapeutics Inc. can be read at their website www.denalitherapeutics.com.

Kirchner Group
The Kirchner Group believes that every business, and every portfolio of businesses, can be made more valuable and that none should become valueless, regardless of the circumstances. Kirchner Group’s proprietary platform is built on the premise that pairing deep domain expertise with process experts provides superior results. Kirchner Group has provided traditional merchant banking services since 1985 and offers advisory, operational and transactional support to companies as well as asset management services for institutional investors. The group’s clients and partners range from promising entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies and their investors. Kirchner Group also manages assets for some of the largest insurance companies, commercial banks and institutional investors in the world. www.kirchnergroup.com

Don Haliburton
Chief Operating Officer
+1 604.362.5117
dhaliburton@kirchnergroup.com

Patrick McNees PhD
Managing Partner
Health and Life Sciences
+1 205.789.7426
pmcnees@kirchnergroup.com