Leveraged Finance & Private Equity Communities Come Together to Raise $2.4 Million at 10th Annual Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma Event

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--More than 750 people representing more than 80 firms from across the leveraged finance and private equity communities came together at the Museum of Modern Art for the 10th annual Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma (LFFM) benefit and cocktail party. The event raised more than $2.4 million for the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) lifesaving research program.

“Each year I’m proud of and humbled by the community’s enthusiastic response to this event,” said event co-founder Jeff Rowbottom. “When Brendan Dillon and I first started discussing this over ten years ago, we had no idea that it would end up bringing so many people together to support one another and make such a significant impact advancing breakthroughs that patients facing melanoma desperately need.”

LFFM funding supports cutting-edge melanoma research that has helped patients with all types of cancer live longer, fuller lives. Treatments first pioneered specifically in melanoma are now being used to treat patients with over 12 other cancer types.

LFFM was founded in 2011 by Jeff Rowbottom of Iron Park Capital and Brendan Dillon of UBS – both melanoma survivors. Since its founding, LFFM has raised more than $16 million for the MRA, the largest nonprofit funder of melanoma research. MRA has accelerated the pace of scientific discovery by directly investing more than $131 million through 380 research grants since its launch in 2007.

The 2021 LFFM was co-chaired by Clare Bailhé (MidCap Financial), Brendan Dillon (UBS), Kerry Dolan (Brinley Partners), Lee Grinberg (Elliott Management), George Mueller (KKR), AJ Murphy (40North), Geoff Oltmans (Silver Lake), 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 Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Iron Park Capital, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Veritas Capital Management LLC and White & Case LLP. A full list of sponsors by level is included below.

“Through the support of the leveraged finance and private equity communities, we have made unprecedented progress in achieving our mission of ending suffering and death due to melanoma,” says MRA President & CEO Michael Kaplan. “We are by no means there yet, but with the support of LFFM and our other donors we are making significant progress.”

About Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA)

As the largest nonprofit funder of melanoma research, MRA has dedicated over $131 million and leveraged an additional $415 million in collaborative and follow-on funding towards its mission. MRA has championed revolutions in immunotherapy, targeted therapies, novel combinations and diagnostics. Due to the ongoing support of its founders, 100 percent of donations to MRA go directly to its melanoma research program. MRA's ability to fund wide-ranging research in melanoma is amplified by unique collaborations and partnerships with individuals, private foundations, and corporations. Visit http://www.CureMelanoma.org for more information.

LFFM 2021 Sponsors

PRESENTING
Kirkland & Ellis
Latham & Watkins
Iron Park Capital
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Veritas Capital Management LLC
White & Case LLP

PLATINUM
HPS Investment Partners, LLC
Fitch Ratings
Allen & Overy
Bloomberg L.P.
BMO Capital Markets
Goldman Sachs
Shearman & Sterling LLP
Sidley Austin LLP
UBS Financial

GOLD
MidCap Financial
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Block Communications
Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Lee Grinberg & Jennifer Corwin
General Atlantic Service Company, L.P.
Golub Capital
Hellman & Friedman
J.P.Morgan Chase & Co.
King & Spalding LLP
KKR
Nancy & Howard Marks
Milbank LLP
MJR Foundation
Morgan Stanley
New Mountain Finance Corporation
Proskauer Rose
T. Rowe Price
Silver Lake
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
The Carlyle Group
Thoma Bravo
Vista Equity Partners
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Wells Fargo Bank

PREFERRED
Credit Suisse Asset Management/Credit Suisse
GTCR
Ares Management LLC
Barclays Capital
BC Partners
Blackstone Credit
Blue Owl Capital (Owl Rock Capital)
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice LLC
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Debevoise & Plimpton
Dechert LLP
Brendan Dillon
Fortinbras
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
HSBC Bank
Macquarie Group
Madison Dearborn
Mizuho Securities USA, Inc.
MJX Asset Management LLC
Oak Hill Advisors, LP
Oak Hill Capital Management
Onex Credit Partners
Ropes & Gray LLP
Royal Bank of Canada/RBC Capital Markets
Silver Rock Financial
Stone Point Capital
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

ADVOCATE
Jefferies LLC
Countrywide Transportation
Angelo Gordon & Co.
Capital One Bank
GoldenTree Asset Management, LP
Kissner
LCD/S&P
Matt Nord & Erika Weinberg
Orchard First Source Asset Management
Paul Hastings LLP
Seix Investment Advisors
Shenkman Capital Management Inc.
Siris Capital Group, LLC
Stonepeak Partners
Warburg Pincus LLC