New data from a retrospective analysis of its autoimmune disease advanced trials show high efficacy of Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd.'s orally bioavailable drug CF101. 

The retrospective study, conducted by a third-party statistician group, analyzed the correlation between response to CF101 and patients' body mass index (BMI) in the Phase II/III Psoriasis interim results as well as the recently completed Phase II Rheumatoid Arthritis trial.The data shows a significant increase in the response to CF101 in patients with a BMI of over 25 in both studies. These findings corroborate the efficacy seen with other FDA approved drugs such as cyclosporine A, which was more effective in patients with high BMI. The company believes these findings will enable it to optimize the design of its forthcoming Phase III studies.  

"These new findings are further evidence of CF101's high efficacy, while the drug continues to show excellent safety in patients. We believe the data will be very important to the design of our forthcoming Phase III trials because these findings help us to achieve the maximum potential of the drug in the treatment of inflammatory conditions," said Can-Fite CEO Pnina Fishman.

Can-Fite's Phase II/III psoriasis trial is ongoing with data expected to be released in the first quarter of 2015.