AshHill Pharmaceutical Investments, LLC is a private equity fund focused on investing in life sciences business opportunities.

AshHill provides equity capital to both “seed-stage” and established companies with innovative pharmaceutical and medical device platforms that target significant healthcare needs.

We are Midwest-based firm whose business team has an established record of responsible and successful money management.  Our Physician-Scientists have a long history of basic and clinical research involving early stage pharmaceuticals and medical devices.  In addition, they have entrepreneurial experience in the establishment, development, management and sale of pharmaceutical companies.  With an office in Silicon Valley, the extensive network of contacts within the biotechnology arena provides opportunities for worldwide investment in innovative life science ventures.

Peter G. Milner, MD, FACC—President and Chief Executive Officer

Co-Founder-Optivia Biotechnology and Co-founder CV Therapeutics, ARYx Therapeutics

In 2007 Dr. Milner co-founded Optivia Biotechnology, a private company now recognized as a leader in the emerging field of transporter biology.  In 1997 he co-founded ARYx Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ARYX) where he served as CEO until 2005, and President from 2005 to 2010 with overall responsibility for R&D.  In 1990 he co-founded CV Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CVTX), where as amember of senior management from 1992-1996 he in-licensed and co-invented several successful pharmaceuticals.  CV Therapeutics was acquired by Gilead for $1.5B in cash in 2009.  In 2005, Dr. Milner was instrumental in restructuring his family pharmaceutical company ML Laboratories (MLB.LSE) and its subsequent merger to form Vectura (VEC.LSE), a profitable company and one of the world’s leading makers of inhaled products.

Prior to 1992, Dr. Milner was as an assistant professor of medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. His research led to the discovery of pleiotrophin (PTN), a novel growth factor that regulates stem cell differentiation, organ development, and the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT).  He was educated at the University of Liverpool receiving his medical degree in 1980, before completing his postgraduate training at Johns Hopkins Hospital, The University of Virginia, and Washington University in St. Louis.  Dr. Milner is co-inventor on 48 issued patents, and an author of 28 original scientific articles in Science, Biochemistry, Circulation, Cancer, JCI, and JBC.  He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC), and a board certified physician and cardiologist. He serves as adjunct clinical faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine, and as a board member of the California Healthcare Institute.

David J. Buffenbarger, Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Buffenbarger has over 23 years of experience in accounting and financial services management.  He is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State of Ohio.  Mr. Buffenbarger is involved in a number of diverse businesses including a renewable energy company and other alternative investments.  He specializes in providing financial advice to closely held businesses.

He has managed a diverse client base as a Principal for Clark, Schaefer, Hackett & Co., a regional public accounting firm.  In addition, Mr. Buffenbarger served as the Chief Financial Officer of a tax lien investment fund and a national financial services company with over 100 employees and was the controller of a regional steel company.

Steven R. Smith, Secretary and General Counsel

Mr. Smith is a member of the Ohio and Kentucky Bar Associations with over 25 years of experience practicing real estate and business law.  He is the sole member of the law firm S.R. Smith and Associates, LLC.  Prior to forming his own firm in 2008, Steven was a partner in the Cincinnati, Ohio office of a large regional law firm.  Mr. Smith also served as General Counsel for an alternative investment company as well as on the boards of several volunteer organizations.  Mr. Smith is a frequent speaker before bar associations, realtor organizations, and business groups on a number of legal subjects related to business issues.  He received his B.A. from the University of Cincinnati and his J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Dayton School of Law.

AshHill is pleased to be able to offer an update to our investors and potential investors concerning the status of our projects.

For investors who are newer to AshHill, we recommend you start with the 2014 Newsletter for comprehensive background and then read our past newsletters for further information:

2014 Newsletter

2013 Winter Newsletter

For investors who received our earlier newsletter, the 2013 Winter Update is more concise and contains only the latest news and updates since our last investor communication.

2013 Winter Update

Please contact us if you have questions or comments about our successes to date. Financial inquiries are best directed to Eric Ott, David Buffenbarger, or Steven Smith. Any questions regarding the medical conditions being treated or the mechanism of action of a given company’s product is best answered by Dr. Peter Milner or Dr. Mark Midei.

Please complete the fields below and we will respond to your inquiry within 48 hours or use the contact information below:

2300 Montana Ave.
Suite 304
Cincinnati, OH 45214

Dave Buffenbarger, CPA, Partner
dbuff@ashhillpharma.com

Address:
2300 Montana Ave
Suite 304
Cincinnati, OH 45217

Contact:
David Buffenbarger, CPA
Partner
dbuff@ashhillpharma.com