Compound A1

Compound A1 is a novel synthetic organoselenium small molecule developed as a lead candidate for cancer therapy by researchers at the University of Navarra and the Penn State Cancer Institute. It was identified from a library of selenium-containing derivatives designed by rationally introducing selenium moieties into a phenyl carboxamide backbone. The compound functions as a potent inhibitor of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), a key enzyme in the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway. In preclinical studies, A1 demonstrated significant antiproliferative activity across a panel of 60 cancer cell lines, showing particular efficacy in breast cancer models such as MDA-MB-231. Its mechanism of action involves the induction of apoptosis, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and modulation of the cell cycle. In vivo studies using syngeneic breast cancer mouse models showed that A1 inhibits tumor growth without apparent systemic toxicity.

Other names

Phenyl carboxamide-selenium analog A1Phenyl carboxamide-selenium derivative A1