The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to biotechnology company Can-Fite BioPharma's drug candidate CF102, a second line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer. CF102 had already received the FDA's Orphan Drug designation.

CF102 is a small orally bioavailable drug that binds with high affinity and selectivity to the A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR). A3AR is highly expressed in tumour cells whereas low expression is found in normal cells. This differential effect accounts for the excellent safety profile of the drug. In Can-Fite's pre-clinical and clinical studies, CF102 has demonstrated a robust anti-tumour effect via deregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway, resulting in apoptosis of liver cancer cells.

Can-Fite is currently conducting a phase II study for this indication in the US, Europe and Israel. The randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study is expected to complete enrollment by the end of the first half of 2016 in 78 patients with Child-Pugh Class B cirrhosis who failed the only FDA approved drug on the market, Nexavar (sorafenib). Patients are treated twice daily with 25 mg of oral CF102, which has been found to be the most efficacious dose in Can-Fite's earlier phase I/II study resulting in the longest overall survival time, with excellent safety results.

Fast Track, aimed at getting important new drugs that meet an unmet need to patients earlier, is expected to expedite the development of CF102. Drugs that receive Fast Track designation benefit from more frequent meetings and communications with the FDA to review the drug's development plan to support approval. It also allows the company to submit parts of the New Drug Application (NDA) on a rolling basis for review as data becomes available. Since the Fast Track Program started, from March 1998 through June 30, 2015 a total of 318 Fast Track applications have been received by the FDA. The FDA has granted 202 of them, and denied 110, with 6 more pending.

"We are very pleased that the FDA recognizes the potential for CF102 to treat HCC patients who have tried, and not been responsive to Nexavar, the only FDA approved drug currently on the market for this indication," stated Can-Fite CEO Dr. Pnina Fishman.

"We consider Fast Track designation to be a major catalyst for our CF102 development programme and we believe it could shorten our time to market for CF102, thereby making a considerable difference for patients."

According to Global Industry Analysts, the global market for liver cancer drugs is projected to exceed $2 billion in 2015. Nexavar annual sales, as reported by Bayer, were €773 million in 2014.