Salmedix Inc

Salmedix Inc. operated as a clinical-stage oncology drug development company with a strategic focus on hematologic malignancies, or blood cancers. Incorporated in Delaware in November 2000, the firm was co-founded by David S. Kabakoff, Ph.D., who also served as Chairman, CEO, and President, and Dennis A. Carson, M.D., a director at The Rebecca and John Moores UCSD Cancer Center. Dr. Kabakoff brought senior executive experience from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies like Dura Pharmaceuticals and Corvas International, while Dr. Carson had previously co-founded several other biopharmaceutical firms. The company's business model centered on in-licensing and developing cancer drugs that already had prior human clinical data, a strategy designed to shorten the development pathway and reduce costs.

The company's product pipeline included three clinical-stage candidates: SDX-101, SDX-102, and its lead product, SDX-105. SDX-105, an intravenously administered small molecule, was acquired through an exclusive rights agreement with Fujisawa Deutschland GmbH for development and marketing in the U.S. and Canada. Building on extensive clinical use in Germany, Salmedix advanced SDX-105 into Phase II trials for treating blood cancers like non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. SDX-101 was noted for its ability to enhance the activity of traditional chemotherapies, and SDX-102 was a small molecule developed for tumors unable to produce a specific metabolic enzyme. The company's primary market was hematology/oncology.

Salmedix successfully raised significant capital to fund its clinical trials and operations, securing a total of $82.6M through various funding rounds with investors including Aberdare Ventures, Alexandria Venture Investments, and H.I.G. Capital. In June 2005, Salmedix was acquired by Cephalon, Inc. for $160 million. Following the acquisition, the lead product SDX-105 was commercialized by Cephalon under the name Treanda® and became a major success.

Keywords: oncology drug development, hematologic malignancies, blood cancer treatment, clinical-stage biotechnology, cancer therapeutics, SDX-105, SDX-101, SDX-102, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Cephalon acquisition, David S. Kabakoff, Dennis A. Carson, in-licensing, clinical trials, biopharmaceutical, venture capital, oncology pipeline, drug commercialization, Treanda