Denali Therapeutics Neurodegenerative Disease Platform Sparks Analyst Optimistic

Vandana Singh

January 03, 2025

William Blair has initiated coverage on Denali Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:DNLI), a company focused on developing drugs for neurodegenerative diseases.

The analyst highlights that Denali is developing a specialized transport vehicle (TV) platform to enhance the delivery of treatments across the blood-brain barrier.

It stands out from competitors with its promising potential for top-tier performance and scalability across different therapies and conditions.

The company’s lead program Tividenofusp alfa, an enzyme-replacement therapy for Hunter syndrome, shows promise as a best-in-class treatment, the analyst highlights.

William Blair has initiated with an Outperform rating and a fair value of $35 per share.

The company has reached an agreement with the FDA on the requirements for accelerated approval and plans to submit a biologics license application in early 2025.

Insights gained from tividenofusp alfa may also simplify the development and approval process for future treatments targeting other lysosomal storage diseases, such as DNL126 for Sanfilippo syndrome type A.

Most recently, Denali Therapeutics initiated dosing in a global BEACON Phase 2a trial of BIIB122 (DNL151) for LRRK2-associated Parkinson’s disease.

Denali’s market cap stands at $2.93 billion, with an enterprise value of $2.26 billion.

Compared to its peers in neuroscience, rare diseases, and platform biotech, its valuation is lower than some but higher than others, reflecting the strength of its pipeline and technology.

William Blair notes the potential for significant growth as Denali advances its assets, including tividenofusp, which might receive accelerated approval and priority review by late 2025.

If additional clinical data reduces risks associated with its TV-enabled approach, Denali could achieve valuations similar to companies like Avidity Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ:RNA), Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ:RARE), Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(NASDAQ:ALNY), and Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IONS).

Price Action: DNLI stock is up 3.17% at $21.50 at the last check on Friday.

Read Next:

Recommended

Inside: What's Going on Behind the Scenes in DC? - Ad

Weiss Gold Veteran Makes Shocking New Call - Ad

$270,000 Drug. One Competitor. Billion-Dollar Market. - Ad

U.S. markets slipped on Monday, with the Dow Jones falling 0.9% to 47,289.33, the S&P 500 easing 0.5% to 6,812.63, and the Nasdaq edging down nearly 0.4% to 23,275.92. These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors through the day:

Resilient in face of Trump tariffs, world economy is forecast to grow 3.2% this year, OECD says

WASHINGTON (AP) — The world economy has proven surprisingly durable in the face of President Donald Trump’s trade wars, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said Tuesday, upgrading its outlook for global and U.S. economic growth this year.

Investing Legend Hints the End May Be Near for These 3 Iconic Stocks

Investing Legend Hints the End May Be Near for These 3 Iconic Stocks - Ad

Futurist Eric Fry say Amazon, Tesla and Nvidia are all on the verge of major disruption. To help protect anyone with money invested in them, he's sharing three exciting stocks to replace them with. He gives away the names and tickers completely free in his brand-new "Sell This, Buy That" broadcast.

AI may be scoring your college essay. Welcome to the new era of admissions

Students applying to college know they can’t — or at least shouldn’t — use AI chatbots to and personal statements. So it might come as a surprise that some schools are now using artificial intelligence to read them.

Cathie Wood Doubles Down On Bitcoin ETF Amid Crypto Chaos, Drops $3.9M On This Amazon Rival

On Monday, Cathie Wood‘s Ark Invest executed significant trades, including notable purchases of ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (BATS:ARKB),

The $43B Big Pharma Story is Starting Over-With a New Player

The $43B Big Pharma Story is Starting Over-With a New Player - Ad

Big Pharma once paid $43B for a small biotech with a similar platform. Now, a new company is following that same playbook, leveraging its patented delivery technology to attract partnerships and near-term revenue potential.

Space forecasters say severe solar storms could hit Earth and trigger auroras

NEW YORK (AP) — Space weather forecasters issued an alert on Tuesday for incoming severe that could produce and temporarily disrupt communications.

16 Stocks To Buy If You Want To Escape The AI Hype

Bank of America is pointing investors toward 16 overlooked stocks with strong fundamentals and no direct ties to the AI boom—offering a safer path beyond the hype.

Copper Is Tight, Silver Is Rising - And This Early Nevada Play Hits the Timing Perfectly

Copper Is Tight, Silver Is Rising - And This Early Nevada Play Hits the Timing Perfectly - Ad

AI, electrification, battery storage, and data centers are pushing copper and silver demand sharply higher, even as supply stays tight. This region in Nevada offers rare multi-metal potential, and a new company has secured land in a district the surging district. It's one of the cleanest timing setups in the sector right now.

Cathie Wood Dumps $11.6 Million Worth Of Tesla Stock: Here Is What Ark Purchased Instead

On Wednesday, Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest made significant trades involving Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), Coinbase Global Inc.

These are the 37 donors helping pay for Trump's $300 million White House ballroom

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says his $300 million White House ballroom will be paid for “100% by me and some friends of mine.”

Trump Signs Law to Launch Dollar 2.0

Trump Signs Law to Launch Dollar 2.0 - Ad

Trump just signed law S.1582, unleashing the biggest money shift in 100+ years. For the first time since 1913, private firms - not the Fed - can mint a "Dollar 2.0." Treasury says it could drain $6.6T from banks and pay 10X current savings rates. Early investors in minting firms could see 40X returns by 2032.

Auto Industry Faces 'EV Winter' Amid Policy Shifts and Supply Chain Woes

The US auto industry is currently facing a myriad of obstacles that are posing a threat to the expansion of EVs.

Silver Soars To Record Highs: It's Up 95% In 2025, The Best Year Since 1979

Silver prices surge over 5% as investors rush to secure metal amid tight supplies and global shortage concerns, driving up stocks and mining equities.

The Smart Money Copper Trade

The Smart Money Copper Trade - Ad

Only one lines up grade, scale potential, and Quebec power like this. Insider alignment is real. Stepouts are opening new zones. With EVs and grid buildouts rising, this could be the timely copper idea you have been waiting for.

How Tyson's Chicken Business Will Offset Beef Weakness

Tyson shares rise as pricing catch-up expected to ease cost pressures; chicken strength offsets beef headwinds amid stable feed costs.

California revokes 17,000 driver's licenses. But the state disputes it is over immigration concerns

California plans to revoke 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses given to immigrants after the Trump administration raised concerns about people in the country illegally receiving licenses to drive a semitruck or a bus. But Gov. Gavin Newsom said that isn't the reason.

The Next Biggest Bull Run In Over 50 Years

The Next Biggest Bull Run In Over 50 Years - Ad

Gold has hit all-time highs, breaking $4,000 an ounce - but history shows it could be on the verge of its biggest bull run in over half a century... triggered by a likely major event, eerily similar to what happened in the 1970s. (It's NOT inflation or anything you're likely expecting.) Now, a top analyst says you can capture ALL of the upside without touching a risky miner or a boring exchange-traded fund. He sees extraordinary potential gains long term with very little risk.

Trump commutes prison sentence for former private equity executive David Gentile

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President has commuted the prison sentence of former investment manager David Gentile, who was convicted of defrauding investors — the latest in a Trump has taken in .

Trump Bars South Africa From 2026 G20 Summit In Florida, Freezes Aid Over 'White Genocide'

President Donald Trump directed that South Africa will not be invited to the 2026 G20 Summit in Miami, Florida. He also declared that all U.S. payments and subsidies to the country would be immediately suspended.

Legally "Skim" $6,361 Into Your Account?

Legally "Skim" $6,361 Into Your Account? - Ad

A former hedge fund manager is now sharing his "Skim Codes" with regular people. They're not stocks. They're not crypto. They're 18-character codes designed to profit from recent market conditions. All you have to do is punch them into an ordinary brokerage account. 84% of these codes have given people the chance to generate cash payouts so far... and his next code is going out any day now.

Donald Trump Administration's Unprecedented Investment In Private Firms Raises Eyebrows

President Trump administration has invested over $10 billion of taxpayer funds in private companies deemed crucial to national security.

What to know about the apartment tower fire in Hong Kong

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong firefighters were making a final push to try and find any survivors from the city's , going apartment-to-apartment in the high-rise complex in an exhaustive search.

Inside: What's Going on Behind the Scenes in DC?

Inside: What's Going on Behind the Scenes in DC? - Ad

Former CIA officer Buck Sexton just met with Trump and VP J.D. Vance - and what he uncovered inside the West Wing is stunning. With ties to Tulsi Gabbard, Mike Johnson, Kash Patel, and more, he's rushing this urgent interview to reveal shocking secrets unfolding behind the scenes right now.

Weekend Round-Up: TSMC Trade Secrets Lawsuit, Google Deepmind Scientist's Market Slam, Baidu Layoffs, Amazon's Court Victory And More

From allegations of trade secret leaks at Taiwan's TSMC to layoffs at Baidu Inc, here's a recap of tech news this week.

An archaeologist is racing to preserve Sudan's heritage as war threatens to erase its cultural past

PARIS (AP) — In a dimly lit office in a corner of the French National Institute for Art History, Sudanese archaeologist Shadia Abdrabo studies a photograph of pottery made in her country around 7,000 B.C. She carefully types a description of the Neolithic artifact into a spreadsheet.

Weiss Gold Veteran Makes Shocking New Call

Weiss Gold Veteran Makes Shocking New Call - Ad

Weiss expert Sean Brodrick went out on a limb last year and declared a historic event would send the yellow metal to $3,150. People laughed at him at the time, but he was off by just two days. Now, Sean has a shocking new prediction for gold ... and reveals a little-known way to get ahead of this bull market.

US Senate Discloses Landmark Crypto Market Structure Bill, Eyes Passage By Late 2025

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is holding steady near $105,000 as markets digest the Senate's long-awaited crypto market structure bill draft, a major milestone toward regulatory clarity

Preliminary findings show a fatigue crack caused a Keystone Pipeline oil spill in North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A fatigue crack in the led to an that released thousands of barrels of oil onto farmland, according to the pipeline operator.

$270,000 Drug. One Competitor. Billion-Dollar Market.

$270,000 Drug. One Competitor. Billion-Dollar Market. - Ad

Phase 3 trial targets recurrent pericarditis with an oral therapy that could disrupt the only approved treatment. And their heart failure program launches in 2026.

Apple Announces Major Changes: New iPhone Models and Altered Release Schedule

Apple has announced plans to roll out three new iPhone models within the next three years, marking a major transformation in the history of the device.

Axon Enterprise: From TASER To AI-Powered Public Safety Platform

Axon Enterprise is executing an interesting transition from hardware vendor to high-margin SaaS and AI platform...

Investing Legend Hints the End May Be Near for These 3 Iconic Stocks

Investing Legend Hints the End May Be Near for These 3 Iconic Stocks - Ad

Samsung Hikes Key Chip Prices 60% To Keep Up With AI Boom 'Panic Ordering'

Samsung Electronics (OTC: SSNLF) has hiked prices on key memory chips by up to 60% since September due to high demand and supply shortage.

Warren Buffett Disciple Seth Klarman Takes New Stake In Railroad Company, Lowers Stake In This Magnificent Seven Stock

Baupost Group, led by Seth Klarman, made major changes to its investment portfolio in the third quarter. A look at the changes.

The $43B Big Pharma Story is Starting Over-With a New Player

The $43B Big Pharma Story is Starting Over-With a New Player - Ad

Trump Asks Sanae Takaichi Not To Provoke China After Japan PM Hinted At Military Action Over Taiwan Invasion

Trump urges Japan's PM not to provoke China over Taiwan. Tensions rise as Japan refuses to retract remarks about possible military action.

Sweden promises action against illegal sex doll sales

BERLIN (AP) — The Swedish government promised on Friday to fight the sale of childlike sex dolls online after instances of such commerce had been reported earlier in the country.

Copper Is Tight, Silver Is Rising - And This Early Nevada Play Hits the Timing Perfectly

Copper Is Tight, Silver Is Rising - And This Early Nevada Play Hits the Timing Perfectly - Ad

US Debt Of $38 Trillion Now A 'National Security Crisis,' Warns Top Economist, Another Blames Political Polarization: 'Neither Party Is…'

Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, and other economists have sounded the alarm about the U.S. national debt, stating that it poses a significant threat to the country's security and global standing.

Trending Now