Full Press Release Details
Second Part of the Glaucoma Phase
II study has been Approved in a European Country
CF101 is currently one of the few
Oral Drugs developed for Glaucoma
A US Patent for the utilization
of CF101 for Glaucoma Treatment will be Valid until 2030
The Glaucoma Market Size is estimated
to be approximately $3B
Petach Tikva, Israel, December 15,
2014 -- Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (TASE: CFBI), (NYSE MKT: CANF), a biotechnology company developing a pipeline of
small molecule drugs that address inflammatory and cancer diseases, and its subsidiary, OphthaliX Inc. (OTCQB: OPLI), jointly
announced today the receipt of an approval from the regulatory authorities in Bulgaria to initiate the enrollment of patients to
the second cohort of the Phase II clinical study in glaucoma. OphthaliX plans to conduct the study in two European countries, Bulgaria
and Romania. The approval in Romania is expected shortly.
In the first cohort of this study, patients
were treated with 1 mg CF101 and placebo. Blinded results from this cohort showed that the drug had a favorable safety profile
and was well tolerated. In the current cohort, the CF101 dose will be increased to 2 mg based on positive linear interim data in
Can-Fite's Phase II/III Psoriasis study.
The rationale to treat glaucoma patients
with CF101 stems from data in another ophthalmic study showing that CF101 lowered the intraocular pressure (IOP) in patient eyes.
Subjects will be randomized to receive 2 mg CF101 or matching placebo, given orally every 12 hours for 16 weeks. The study data
will be released upon completion of the 2 mg dose treatment group, and is expected to be announced during the second half of 2015.
OphthaliX has the exclusive rights for
the use and development of CF101 in the field of ophthalmic diseases, which includes a US patent for the reduction of IOP that
expires in 2030. Increased IOP is the most important and only modifiable risk factor for glaucoma.
As previously announced, OphthaliX received
third-party validation of its technology for the utilization of A3 adenosine receptor agonists for lowering intraocular pressure
and treating glaucoma that was published by Professor M. Francesca Cordeiro, a Professor of Glaucoma & Retinal Neuro-degeneration
at the University College of London and Imperial College in London.
The global glaucoma market size is estimated
by GlobalData to be worth approximately $3B, where most of the drugs are generic ones and are given as eye drops. The key advantage
of CF101 is its oral administration which contributes to better compliance.
CF101, an A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR)
agonist, is a novel, first in class small molecule orally bioavailable drug which binds with high affinity and selectivity to the
A3AR, which is known to be over-expressed in inflammatory cells. The drug acts as a neuro-protective agent and prevents apoptosis
of retinal ganglion cells.
About Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd.
Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE MKT: 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 and inflammatory diseases. The Company's CF101 is in Phase II/III trials for the
treatment of psoriasis and the Company is preparing for a Phase III CF101 trial for rheumatoid arthritis. Can-Fite's liver
cancer drug CF102 is commencing Phase II trials and has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
CF102 has also shown proof of concept to potentially treat other cancers including colon, prostate, and melanoma. These drugs have
an excellent safety profile with experience in over 1,200 patients in clinical studies to date. For more information please visit:
About OphthaliX Inc.
OphthaliX Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company
focused on developing therapeutic products for the treatment of ophthalmic disorders.
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