Pliant Therapeutics

Also Clin2 primary sclerosing cholangitis; PLN-1474 Clin1 NASH fibrosis; PLN101325 Clin0 muscular dystrophies; undisclosed Clin0 solid tumors

Pliant Therapeutics is understanding the molecular drivers of fibrotic diseases to identify safer and more effective therapies for patients. Fibrosis occurs when cells repair tissue damage through the formation of fibrotic scars, which when overactivated can cause irreparable damage and disease. TGF-β is a key driver of fibrosis that investigational therapies are targeting; however, it risks toxicity to a patient’s healthy tissues. Instead, Pliant is using their expertise in integrin biology, proteins downstream of TGF-β in the fibrosis cascade, to identify more selective therapies. Pliant is building a pipeline of integrin inhibitors using their screening platform, live fibrotic human tissue assays and biomarker assays. Their lead candidate, PLN-74809, is in clinical trials.