Full Press Release Details
Can-Fite Receives Israel Ministry
of Health Approval to Conduct Research with Cannabinoids in Cancer, Inflammation and Obesity at the Company Discovery Labs
PETACH TIKVA, Israel, December 15, 2020
-- 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 it has received approval from the Medical
Cannabis Unit of Israel's Ministry of Health to conduct pre-clinical studies on the effect of nanomolar concentrations of
cannabinoid fractions on the proliferation and functionality of cancer, inflammatory and adipocyte cells (fat cells).
This regulatory approval clears Can-Fite
to advance its cannabinoid program by evaluating the effect of cannabis fractions at nanomolar concentrations binding with the
A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR), the target of the Company's technology, in a broad range of diseases including cancer, inflammatory
diseases, and metabolic diseases associated with fat accumulation. Can-Fite's recent findings show that cannabinoids can
be clinically effective at minute concentrations, thereby potentially delivering efficacy without the adverse effect seen to occur
with high cannabinoid concentrations as evidenced in the scientific literature. Prior pre-clinical studies jointly conducted by
Can-Fite and Univo Pharmaceuticals demonstrate cannabinoid fractions inhibited liver cancer cell proliferation via A3AR.
"We are excited to embark on research
to advance our cannabinoids program, which leverages our current IP platform, technology, and discovery lab assets to cost-and-time-efficiently
generate findings in one of the fastest growing and promising areas in the pharmaceutical space. As a world leader in A3AR, Can-Fite
is ideally positioned to identify and develop cannabinoids at nanomolar concentrations to treat diseases effectively and safely,"
stated Can-Fite CEO Dr. Pnina Fishman.
Can-Fite will conduct the research in its
own state-of-the-art discovery labs where it recently developed patent-pending cannabinoid-based formulations and an in vitro biological
assay to identify clinically active cannabis derived compounds. The Company's recently filed patent application covers the
use of cannabinoids in treating A3AR associated conditions including cancer, autoimmune, inflammatory, and metabolic diseases.
Can-Fite's biological cell-based assay will be utilized in the development of pharmaceuticals that use a specific cannabis
derived compound to treat a variety of diseases. In addition to benefitting from its assay in the development of its own cannabis
derived compound-based therapeutics, Can-Fite plans to market the assay on a fee for service' basis to researchers
and other cannabis companies worldwide.
According to Adroit Market Research, the
medical cannabis market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 29% to $56.7 billion by 2026.
Can-Fite has a strategic partnership with
Univo Pharmaceuticals, a medical cannabis company.
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 a Phase III trial for psoriasis and a Phase II study in the treatment of moderate COVID-19.
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.
Forward-Looking Statements
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 impact of the COVID-19
pandemic; 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.