US Patent Office Granted Can-Fite Namodenoson Patent for Use as Anti-Obesity Drug

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. recently announced its lead drug candidate Namodenoson was granted a patent for its use as an anti-obesity drug by the US patent office.  Namodenoson is currently being developed for the treatment of Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), advanced liver cancer and pancreatic cancer. In all clinical studies that have been conducted, Namodenoson had a very favorable safety profile when administered orally.

The patent application No. 17/309,952 titled An A3 adenosine receptor ligand for use for achieving a fat loss effect, has been accepted by the US Patent Office, will be issued on February 2 and expires in 2042.

The patent application covers methods of treating obese patients by administering Namodenoson in an oral formulation. Can-Fite has already multiple approved patents and corresponding applications in a variety of territories around the world, for different clinical applications of the drug.

The anti-obesity patent application is based on data demonstrating that treatment of fat cells with Namodenoson reduced fat levels via the increase of the hormone adiponectin, a regulator of fat production in the body.  Namodenoson also reduced body weight in an experimental animal model of obesity, induced by high fat diet. In a MASH Phase IIa study, in patients treated with Namodenoson, a 2.3% weight loss has been observed after 3 months with a significant increase in serum adiponectin levels.

”We are delighted that the product protection of Namodenoson in the area of obesity has been accepted in the US and will be valid till 2042. Namodenoson is currently being developed for the treatment of MASH in a Phase IIb study where most patients are obese. We look forward to seeing the anti-obesity effect in this clinical study”, said Motti Farbstein, Can-Fite CE&CFO.

The obesity treatment industry worldwide is expected to reach a projected revenue of US$ 60.5 billion by 2030. A compound annual growth rate of 22.3% is expected of the worldwide obesity treatment industry from 2025 2030.

Namodenoson is a small orally bioavailable drug that binds with high affinity and selectivity to the A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR). Namodenoson is currently being evaluated in a pivotal Phase III trial for advanced liver cancer, a Phase IIb trial for the treatment of Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), and in a Phase IIa study in pancreatic cancer. A3AR is highly expressed in diseased cells whereas low expression is found in normal cells. This differential expression may be one of the important factors that accounts for the excellent safety profile of the drug.

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE American: CANF) (TASE: CANF) 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, and inflammatory disease. The Company’s lead drug candidate, Piclidenoson recently reported topline results in a Phase III trial for psoriasis and is expected to commence a pivotal Phase III. Can-Fite’s liver drug, Namodenoson, is being evaluated in a Phase III trial for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a Phase IIb trial for the treatment of MASH, and in a Phase IIa study in pancreatic cancer. 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 US FDA. 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 1,600 patients in clinical studies to date. For more information, visit www.can-fite.com.