Israel-Medical-Healthcare

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Can-Fite signs up first patient for clinical trial of dry-eye drug
29.1.07 | 17:06 By Yoram Gavison
Biotechnology company Can-Fite BioPharma yesterday recruited its first patient for a clinical trial of CF-101 as a treatment for dry-eye syndrome in humans.

Company CEO Prof. Pnina Fishman commented that the company expects to finish signing up patients for the clinical trial within six months.
The test is to encompass 50 patients and last 12 weeks, at four medical centers: Assaf Harofe, Rabin, Sheba, and Meir.

The company expects to have the results of its clinical trial by the end of November 2007. It will be delivering the results to the United States Food and Drug Administration: if the drug proves efficacious, Can-Fite can apply to have its development recognized as an orphan drug. That would give it seven years' exclusive marketing rights, and fast-track FDA handling.

Dry-eye is a chronic condition arising from infection of the tear glands, which leads to insufficient production of tears. The result is irritation of the eye, which can be severe enough to lead to vision impairment. It often appears among people with gout and is a major problem for people who use contact lenses, and post-menopausal women.

Six million Americans are believed to suffer from dry-eye and the market for drugs to treat it is believed to be a billion dollars.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/819101.html