29th June 2022 – Can-Fite BioPharma issued a press release, which is summarized as follows:
Piclidenoson Phase III COMFORT study in moderate to severe psoriasis met its primary endpoint with statistically significant improvement and Piclidenoson had an excellent safety profile.
The COMFORT trial is a Phase III, multicenter, randomized, placebo- and active-controlled, double-blind study to assess the efficacy and safety of Piclidenoson in more than 400 adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The study data show that patients treated with oral Piclidenoson 2 mg or 3 mg twice daily, had clinically equivalent efficacy responses. At week 16, patients receiving Piclidenoson 3mg demonstrated statistically significant improvement when compared with placebo, as measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 75 response: Piclidenoson 3mg: 9.7% vs. placebo: 2.6% (P< 0.04). Secondary endpoint parameters at week 32 comparing Piclidenoson to the active control drug, Otezla, revealed inferiority with respect to PASI 75 (17% vs. 26.2%, respectively) and PASI 50 (34.1% vs. 49.5%, respectively), but revealed superiority of Piclidenoson as compared to Otezla in the Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI) (20.5% vs. 10.3%, respectively, P<0.05).
A linear increase in the response of patients to Piclidenoson was achieved along the study period, on week 48 reaching PASI 50 in 90% of patients, PASI 90 in 10% of patients and PDI improvement in 60% of patients.
Piclidenoson had an excellent safety profile overlapping that of the placebo treated patients, showing a better safety profile when compared to Otezla. “Based on Piclidenoson’s safety and efficacy data revealed in this trial, we plan to approach the U.S. FDA and the European EMA with a protocol for a pivotal Phase III study for drug approval and registration,” stated Can-Fite CEO, Dr. Pnina Fishman.
About Piclidenoson:
Piclidenoson is a novel, first-in-class, A3 adenosine receptor agonist (A3AR) small molecule, orally bioavailable drug with an excellent safety profile demonstrating evidence of efficacy in Phase II clinical studies. The drug’s mechanism of action entails inhibition of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin 17 and 23 (IL-17 and IL-23) and the induction of apoptosis of patients’ skin cell keratinocytes involved with the disease pathogenicity.
The original website link: https://ir.canfite.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/993/can-fite-announces-positive-top-line-results-from