Selena Pharmaceuticals

Selena Pharmaceuticals was a San Francisco-based biotechnology company focused on the development of small molecule inhibitors for the treatment of cancer. The company's primary focus was on cell cycle regulation, specifically targeting cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) to inhibit tumor cell proliferation. In 2002, Selena Pharmaceuticals was acquired by Cyclacel (now Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals), which integrated Selena's lead oncology candidate, seliciclib (CYC202), into its pipeline. Seliciclib is a first-in-class, orally available CDK inhibitor that has been investigated for various solid tumors and hematological malignancies. The company was led by Dr. David Hung, who later went on to found Medivation and lead the development of the blockbuster drug Xtandi. The acquisition of Selena provided Cyclacel with a significant clinical asset and established its presence in the United States biotech market.