Denali Therapeutics Inc.

Denali Therapeutics Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on neuroscience and based in South San Francisco, CA.

Our goal is to discover, develop and deliver therapeutics to defeat neurodegeneration, which is one of the most significant unmet medical needs of our time. There are limited effective therapeutic options available for patients with diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS and Hunter Syndrome.  Recent genetic insights are revealing the underlying biology of neurodegeneration and potential drug targets, while enabling better patient selection, similar to how genetic insights have transformed the field of oncology, so we believe the time is right for breakthroughs.

Our scientific strategy is guided by three overarching principles that we believe will significantly increase the probability of success: (1) Genetic Pathway Potential - We select our therapeutic targets and disease pathways based on studies that link human genetic variation to the risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease. (2) Engineering Brain Delivery - We engineer our product candidates to cross the blood-brain barrier ("BBB"), and act directly in the brain. (3) Biomarker-Driven Development - We discover, develop and utilize biomarkers to select the right patient population.

Collaborations are central to our strategy to develop our portfolio of product candidates. We have arrangements with biopharmaceutical companies, technology companies, academic institutions, foundations, and patient-focused data companies. Notable active arrangements include those with Biogen, Takeda, Sanofi, Harvard and the Michael J. Fox Foundation. 

Denali started up in May of 2015, and in six short years, we have built a diversified portfolio with five clinical programs and more than fifteen programs in the preclinical development stage. We envision our future as a fully integrated global organization serving patients. As of December 31, 2020, we had $1.5 billion in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. We believe that our existing cash will help us execute on growing our company and our portfolio. As we build and grow our capabilities, we maintain a deep focus on science at the core of our efforts to discover, develop and deliver medicines.