Kirkland Advises Eli Lilly on Partnership With Andreessen Horowitz in First Funds Deal

Kirkland & Ellis advised Eli Lilly & Company (NYSE: LLY) in connection with a $500 million venture capital fund partnership with Andreessen Horowitz. The fund will invest in companies at all stages, from company creation to growth, to drive transformative progress in healthcare by investing in therapeutic platforms and cutting-edge technology companies. Beyond contributing all the capital, Lilly will have the ability to provide additional resources to the underlying portfolio companies, including Catalyze360, a specialized support structure for biotech startups that includes Lilly Ventures, Lilly Gateway Labs and Lilly ExplorR&D — all of which provide biotech startups with access to world-class pre-clinical and clinical drug development talent and resources.

Read the transaction press release

The team included investment funds lawyers Jonathan Lipnick and Christine Zhao; corporate lawyer Sarkis Jebejian; tax lawyers Justin Barbosa and Keaton Bolton; and antitrust & competition lawyer Mike Thorpe.