CANF Shares Jump 20% Following Encouraging Mid-Phase Results in Pancreatic Cancer Study

Can-Fite BioPharma Shares Surge on Promising Pancreatic Cancer Trial Results

On Wednesday, shares of Can-Fite BioPharma (CANF) jumped 20.4% following the announcement of encouraging preliminary results from a phase IIa clinical trial of namodenoson, the company’s experimental therapy for patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who had previously failed systemic treatments.

Namodenoson, a highly selective A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR) agonist, has already shown notable safety and anti-cancer effects in preclinical studies targeting pancreatic tumors.

Highlights from the Phase IIa Pancreatic Cancer Study

The phase IIa trial enrolled 20 individuals with advanced PDAC, all of whom had undergone at least one prior treatment regimen. This group represented a particularly challenging patient population, characterized by poor prognosis and widespread metastatic disease.

According to the latest data, the study achieved its primary safety objective, with namodenoson demonstrating a favorable tolerability profile among these heavily pretreated patients. No unexpected safety issues arose, and the drug’s safety record remained in line with previous studies across other cancer types.

Over the past six months, Can-Fite shares have declined by 54%, a steeper drop compared to the broader medical drugs sector, which saw a 9% decrease during the same period.

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Beyond safety, the trial also assessed secondary outcomes such as overall survival and progression-free survival. At the time of the interim analysis, about one-third of participants were still alive, and ongoing monitoring is expected to shed more light on long-term survival prospects.

As more data becomes available, Can-Fite intends to present updated survival results at future scientific meetings. The positive safety findings in this difficult-to-treat group support continued clinical development of namodenoson for pancreatic cancer. Notably, the drug has received Orphan Drug status from the FDA for this indication.

In addition to PDAC, Can-Fite is also testing namodenoson in a late-stage trial for advanced liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) and a mid-stage study for metabolic-associated steatohepatitis.

The company’s pipeline further includes its lead asset, piclidenoson, which is currently in a pivotal phase III trial for psoriasis.

Can-Fite Biopharma Ltd: Price and Analyst Consensus

Analyst Ratings and Alternative Biotech Picks

Can-Fite currently holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Other biotech companies with higher Zacks rankings include:

• USANA Health Sciences (USNA) – Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy)
• Catalyst Pharmaceuticals (CPRX) – Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy)
• ALX Oncology Holdings (ALXO) – Zacks Rank #2 (Buy)

Recent Performance Highlights

• USANA Health Sciences’ 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates have increased from $1.90 to $2.00 over the last two months, though its shares have dropped 37.5% in the past half year. The company exceeded earnings expectations in three of the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 21.92%.
• Catalyst Pharmaceuticals’ 2026 EPS projections rose from $2.54 to $2.82 in the same period, and its stock has climbed 22.9% over six months. The company beat earnings estimates in all four recent quarters, averaging a 35.19% positive surprise.
• ALX Oncology Holdings’ projected 2026 loss per share narrowed from $1.21 to $0.88, and the stock surged 97.3% over six months. However, it missed earnings expectations in each of the last four quarters, with an average negative surprise of 12.82%.

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Additional Resources

For the latest stock recommendations from Zacks Investment Research, you can download the report “7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.”

• Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CPRX): Free Stock Analysis Report
• Can-Fite Biopharma Ltd (CANF): Free Stock Analysis Report
• USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (USNA): Free Stock Analysis Report
• ALX Oncology Holdings Inc. (ALXO): Free Stock Analysis Report

This article was originally published by Zacks Investment Research.

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