Can-Fite BioPharma, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing small molecule therapies for oncology and inflammatory diseases, has received a significant intellectual property boost after the Australian Patent Office allowed Patent Application No. 2021290439, titled "Treatment of Advanced Metastatic Cancer."

The newly granted patent enhances the company's global intellectual property portfolio for Namodenoson, its lead oncology drug candidate, and supports its ongoing development for advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) and pancreatic cancer. The approval also strengthens Can-Fite's commercial position in the Australian market as it advances the therapy through clinical development.

Namodenoson is currently being evaluated in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, following protocol agreements with both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The company has also completed a Phase 2a clinical study in pancreatic cancer, where the therapy demonstrated a favourable safety profile, encouraging survival outcomes and durable disease stabilisation. Based on these findings, Can-Fite is preparing to initiate a Phase 2b trial evaluating Namodenoson in combination with gemcitabine for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Commenting on the development, Pnina Fishman, Ph.D., Chairperson and Chief Scientific Officer of Can-Fite BioPharma, said the patent allowance further strengthens the company's global intellectual property portfolio surrounding Namodenoson while reinforcing the long-term value of its oncology franchise. She noted that the patent provides important protection for two of the company's most advanced oncology programmes—hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatic cancer—and supports its innovative therapeutic approach in a major international market.

Namodenoson is an orally administered small molecule that selectively targets the A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR), which is highly expressed in cancerous and inflammatory cells while remaining minimally expressed in healthy tissues. Activation of the receptor has been shown to induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in tumour cells while sparing normal cells, contributing to the drug's favourable safety profile observed across clinical studies.

Beyond its oncology pipeline, Namodenoson is also being developed for Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), with patient enrolment underway for a Phase 2b clinical trial.

Can-Fite BioPharma continues to expand its pipeline across oncology, liver and inflammatory diseases using its proprietary A3 adenosine receptor platform technology. The company's lead anti-inflammatory candidate, Piclidenoson, has recently reported topline results from a Phase 3 psoriasis study and has entered another pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial.