Can-Fite Receives Notification of Patent Grant from European Patent Office for Namodenoson in the Treatment of NASH

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  • Marks  Can-Fite’s 3rd major patent for treatment of NASH; patents have also been received in the U.S. and Korea
  • Recently completed Phase II study in NAFLD/NASH achieved primary and secondary endpoints  

PETACH TIKVA, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE American: CANF) (TASE:CFBI), a biotechnology company advancing a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drugs that address inflammatory, cancer and liver diseases, today announced that the European Patent Office has notified the Company of its intent to grant a patent for the invention titled “An A3 Adenosine Receptor For Use In Treating Ectopic Fat Acculturation”. Patent claims include use of the A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR), the target of Can-Fite’s platform technology, in reducing ectopic fat accumulation particularly in fatty liver as manifested in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

“This important patent in Europe comes as Namodenoson exhibited a strong safety profile and met its efficacy endpoints in the treatment of NAFLD and NASH in our recently completed Phase II study. Our global IP portfolio addressing NAFLD/NASH is critical as we engage in talks with potential distribution partners,” stated Can-Fite CEO Dr. Pnina Fishman. “NAFLD and NASH have a very heavy disease burden in Europe, where epidemiology studies estimate the prevalence among the general population of NAFLD at between 29-37%, with 16-45% of those biopsy confirmed as NASH.”

Can-Fite has received patents for Namodenoson in the treatment of NAFLD/NASH in the U.S. and Korea, and the Company has licensing and distribution agreements for Namodenoson in this indication in China and Korea. There is currently no U.S. FDA approved drug for the treatment of NASH, which is an addressable pharmaceutical market estimated to reach $35-40 billion by 2025.

About Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd.

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE American: CANF) (TASE: CFBI) is an advanced clinical stage drug development Company with a platform technology that is designed to address multi-billion dollar markets in the treatment of cancer, liver, inflammatory disease and COVID-19. The Company's lead drug candidate, Piclidenoson, is currently in Phase III trials for rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Can-Fite's liver drug, Namodenoson, is headed into a Phase III trial for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer, and successfully achieved its primary endpoint in a Phase II trial for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Namodenoson has been granted Orphan Drug Designation in the U.S. and Europe and Fast Track Designation as a second line treatment for HCC by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Namodenoson has also shown proof of concept to potentially treat other cancers including colon, prostate, and melanoma. CF602, the Company's third drug candidate, has shown efficacy in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. These drugs have an excellent safety profile with experience in over 1,500 patients in clinical studies to date. For more information please visit: www.can-fite.com.

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This press release may contain forward-looking statements, about Can-Fite’s expectations, beliefs or intentions regarding, among other things, market risks and uncertainties, its product development efforts, business, financial condition, results of operations, strategies or prospects. In addition, from time to time, Can-Fite or its representatives have made or may make forward-looking statements, orally or in writing. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “should” or “anticipate” or their negatives or other variations of these words or other comparable words or by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. These forward-looking statements may be included in, but are not limited to, various filings made by Can-Fite with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, press releases or oral statements made by or with the approval of one of Can-Fite’s authorized executive officers. Forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results as of the date they are made. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause Can-Fite’s actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Many factors could cause Can-Fite’s actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: our history of losses and needs for additional capital to fund our operations and our inability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all; uncertainties of cash flows and inability to meet working capital needs; the initiation, timing, progress and results of our preclinical studies, clinical trials and other product candidate development efforts; our ability to advance our product candidates into clinical trials or to successfully complete our preclinical studies or clinical trials; our receipt of regulatory approvals for our product candidates, and the timing of other regulatory filings and approvals; the clinical development, commercialization and market acceptance of our product candidates; our ability to establish and maintain strategic partnerships and other corporate collaborations; the implementation of our business model and strategic plans for our business and product candidates; the scope of protection we are able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering our product candidates and our ability to operate our business without infringing the intellectual property rights of others; competitive companies, technologies and our industry; statements as to the impact of the political and security situation in Israel on our business; and risks and other risk factors detailed in Can-Fite’s filings with the SEC and in its periodic filings with the TASE. In addition, Can-Fite operates in an industry sector where securities values are highly volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond its control. Can-Fite does not undertake any obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Can-Fite BioPharma
Motti Farbstein
info@canfite.com
+972-3-9241114

Source: Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd.

Released August 25, 2020