On June 2, 2026 Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE American: CANF) (TASE: CANF), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases, reported the differentiated mechanism of action of namodenoson in pancreatic cancer, including inhibition of the RAS signaling pathway, alongside encouraging clinical observations from its ongoing Phase 2a pancreatic cancer study.
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Recent presentations and publications emerging from the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) meeting have reinforced the importance of targeting RAS-driven malignancies, particularly pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), where KRAS mutations and downstream RAS activation are central drivers of tumor growth and therapeutic resistance. Can-Fite previously reported preclinical findings demonstrating that namodenoson exerts potent anti-tumor activity in pancreatic cancer through a multi-pathway mechanism involving deregulation of the RAS, Wnt/β-catenin, and NF-κB signaling pathways, leading to apoptosis and marked inhibition of tumor growth.
The Company also reported encouraging clinical observations from its Phase 2a study of namodenoson as a monotherapy in pancreatic cancer. Enrollment has been completed and several patients have demonstrated prolonged disease control, including one patient who has remained on therapy and follow-up for approximately 16 months.
"Growing clinical validation of RAS inhibition in pancreatic cancer supports the relevance of the pathway that namodenoson was shown to modulate in our preclinical work," said Pnina Fishman, Chairperson and CSO of Can-Fite BioPharma. "Importantly, namodenoson offers a differentiated approach through simultaneous targeting of RAS, Wnt/β-catenin and NF-κB signaling pathways together with a favorable safety profile observed across clinical programs. The durable observation in our pancreatic study further encourages continued development of namodenoson in this highly aggressive malignancy."
Pancreatic cancer remains among the most lethal malignancies, with limited treatment options and poor long-term survival. Approximately 90% of pancreatic cancers are associated with KRAS pathway activation, highlighting the importance of therapies capable of modulating this signaling network.
About Namodenoson
Namodenoson is a highly selective A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR) agonist, which has shown a compelling safety profile and demonstrated anti-tumor activity in preclinical pancreatic cancer models. The drug is also being evaluated in clinical trials for advanced liver cancer.
Namodenoson has received Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
(Press release, Can-Fite BioPharma, JUN 2, 2026, View Source [SID1234666363])