NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–On Thursday, June 16, 2022, more than 900 people from over 100 firms from the leveraged finance and private equity communities came together for the Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma (LFFM) benefit and cocktail party. Hosted at the Museum of Modern Art, the event raised a record breaking $3 million for the Melanoma Research Alliance’s (MRA) mission to advance the world’s most innovative and promising melanoma research.
“Each year, I continue to be amazed by the community’s response to this event and the mission it supports,” says LFFM co-founder and MRA board member Jeff Rowbottom. “LFFM has become a signature event for the finance industry, and it plays a critical role in advancing cancer research that is literally saving lives, including mine.”
LFFM funding supports cutting-edge melanoma research that has helped patients with all types of cancer live longer, fuller lives. Treatments first pioneered in melanoma are now being used to treat patients with over 30 other cancer types.
LFFM was founded in 2011 by Jeff Rowbottom (Iron Park Capital) and Brendan Dillon (Veritas Capital) – both melanoma survivors. Since its founding, LFFM has raised more than $19 million for MRA, the largest nonprofit funder of melanoma research. Since its founding in 2007, MRA-funded investigators have been deeply involved in every breakthrough in melanoma research, including the approval of 15 new therapies.
The event was co-chaired by Clare Bailhé (MidCap Financial), Brendan Dillon (Veritas Capital), Kerry Dolan (Brinley Partners), Lee Grinberg (Elliott Management), Matt Manin (Apollo), George Mueller (KKR), Geoff Oltmans (Silver Lake), Kevin Pluff, Jeff Rowbottom (Iron Park Capital), Ian Schuman (Latham & Watkins), Cade Thompson (KKR), Trevor Watt (Hellman & Friedman), and Eric Wedel (Kirkland & Ellis).
Presenting sponsors of the event included Latham & Watkins, Kirkland & Ellis, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Fitch Ratings, Michael Milken, HPS Investment Partners, Apollo|Midcap, Iron Park Capital Management, Veritas Capital Management and White & Case. A full list of LFFM sponsors is included below.
“The leveraged finance and private equity communities are some of the biggest advocates for MRA and our mission to cure melanoma,” says MRA CEO Marc Hurlbert, PhD. “The funds raised from this event will further accelerate the MRA research agenda and the continuation of faster cures, new treatments and lifesaving breakthroughs.
LFFM 2022 Sponsors
PRESENTING
Kirkland & Ellis
Latham & Watkins
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Michael Milken
Apollo|Midcap
Fitch Ratings
HPS Investment Partners, LLC
Iron Park Capital
Veritas Capital Management LLC
White & Case LLP
PLATINUM
Allen & Overy
BMO Capital Markets
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Joyce and Barry Cohen
Shearman & Sterling LLP
Sidley Austin LLP
UBS Financial
GOLD
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Barclays Capital
Bloomberg L.P.
Brinley Partners
Citi
General Atlantic Philanthropic Foundation
Golub Capital
Hellman & Friedman
Intesa Sanpaolo
King & Spalding LLP
KKR
Leonard Green & Partners
Howard and Nancy Marks
Milbank LLP
MJR Foundation
Morgan Stanley
New Mountain Finance Corporation
Proskauer Rose
Ropes & Gray LLP
Silver Lake
Sixth Street Partners
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
T. Rowe Price
TD Securities
The Carlyle Group
Thoma Bravo
Vista Equity Partners
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Wells Fargo Bank
PREFERRED
Jefferies LLC
Credit Suisse
GTCR
Royal Bank of Canada/RBC Capital Markets
American Industrial Partners
Ares Management LLC
BC Partners
Blackstone Credit
Blue Owl Capital
BNP Paribas
Centerbridge Partners
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice LLC
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Debevoise & Plimpton
Deutsche Bank
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
HIG Capital
HSBC Bank
Macquarie Group
Madison Dearborn Partners
Matt Nord and Erika Weinberg
Mizuho Securities USA, Inc.
MJX Asset Management LLC
MUFG
Oak Hill Advisors, LP
Oak Hill Capital Management
Silver Rock Financial
Stone Canyon Industries
Stone Point Capital
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Winston & Strawn
ADVOCATE
Fortinbras
Tiger Global
Advent International Corporation
Angelo Gordon & Co.
BlackRock
Brookfield Asset Management
Capital One Bank
Clarion Capital Partners, LLC
GoldenTree Asset Management, LP
Lauren Hanrahan
Houlihan Lokey
LSTA
Natixis
Orchard First Source Asset Management
Paul Hastings LLP
PNC Bank
Riverstone
Rothschild & Co.
Seix Investment Advisors
Shenkman Capital Management Inc.
Siris Capital Group
Stonepeak Partners
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)
Stephanie Teicher
Warburg Pincus LLC
Z Capital Group
About Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA)
The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) stands as the largest non-profit funder of melanoma research. Founded in 2007, MRA’s mission is to end suffering and death due to melanoma by advancing the world’s most promising science and research. MRA provides critical funding for melanoma cancer research that propels advances in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, metastasis, and survivorship. MRA-funded researchers have been behind every breakthrough in melanoma research. Since MRA’s inception, more than 15 new therapeutic approaches for melanoma have earned FDA approval. MRA is recognized as one of the most fiscally efficient non-profits in the country. Because MRA’s Founders’ generously cover 100% of MRA’s administrative and operating costs, every dollar donated is invested directly into MRA’s scientific and research program. For more information, please visit: www.CureMelanoma.org.
LinkedIn: melanoma-research-alliance
Twitter: @MelanomaReAlli
Instagram: @melanoma
Facebook: MelanomaResearchAlliance
Contacts
Cody R. Barnett, Director of Communications
M: (717) 880-7100
E-mail: cbarnett@curemelanoma.org
Additional Media Contacts:
Anreder & Company
917.923.7011
Steven S. Anreder — steven.anreder@anreder.com
Michael Wichman — michael.wichman@anreder.com
