Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors
Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc.:

We consent to the use of our report with respect to the consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting incorporated by reference herein and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in this prospectus.

Our report dated March 16, 2009 contains an explanatory paragraph that states that the Company has suffered recurring losses from operations and negative cash flows. Furthermore, the Company’s long-term debt agreement contains certain covenants that require the Company to maintain a certain level of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, and contains certain subjective acceleration clauses related to material adverse changes that raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.  The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of that uncertainty.

/s/ KPMG LLP

Seattle, Washington
May 13, 2009