Attacking Diseases On Multiple Fronts — Pharmaceutical Development Combined With Cannabis?

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While it is developing its own drugs to treat diseases and conditions such as liver cancer and psoriasis, one Israel-based biotechnology company says it is also looking to form partnerships with cannabis companies after discovering potential links between cannabinoids and its own research.

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. CANF primarily researches new drugs to target inflammatory, cancer and liver diseases. The company’s research is focused on a protein-associated receptor called the A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR), which is upregulated, or overexpressed, in inflammatory and tumor cells.

Can-Fite has also simultaneously reported that even tiny amounts of low-dose cannabinoids, specifically cannabidiol (CBD), can bind to A3AR and, by doing so, can reduce inflammation and cancerous cell growth. The company has filed patent applications on its discovery of the effects of the cannabinoids in therapies where the overexpressed A3AR receptor is targeted.

“These findings open a novel therapeutic opportunity in liver cancer and fibrosis with minute CBD concentrations,” Can-Fite CEO Pnina Fishman said.

Fishman also presented the company’s findings at the recent CannX medical cannabis conference in Tel Aviv in mid-March. In addition, a company paper on the discovery will be published in the scientific journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

The medical cannabis market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 29% to $56.7 billion by 2026 and the HCC drug market will reach an estimated $3.8 billion in 2027 in the G8 countries, according to Adroit Market Research. 

Cannabis Adds To The Mix

Can-Fite has multiple drugs it’s working on, including the psoriasis drug piclidenoson, a rare oral treatment for the autoimmune condition. The company competes with Amgen Inc.’s AMGN Otezla as well as with injectable biologics developed by companies like AbbVie Inc.’s ABBV Skyrizi and Humira and Novartis AG’s NVS Cosentyx. Can-Fite is planning to announce its Phase 3 topline results in Q2 2022. 

According to iHealthcareAnalyst, the psoriasis therapeutics market is expected to reach $11.3 billion by 2025.

Can-Fite is also researching drugs designed to treat conditions such as liver cancer, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and erectile dysfunction. NASH, a leading cause of liver transplants because of its inflammatory symptoms, is thought to affect up to 5% of the American population, and Can-Fite is targeting patients with its Namodenoson drug, which is currently undergoing a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Phase IIb trial. The company plans to commence enrollment in its Phase 3 drug trial in liver cancer in Q2 2022. 

While it develops its core drug pipeline, the company states that it is adding cannabis to the mix following the discovery of the potential cannabinoid benefits during its research.

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