Pipeline
Pliant Therapeutics is pursuing drug development programs for a range of fibrotic diseases, focusing on tissue-specific integrin modulation and TGF-β1 signaling inhibition.
Pliant’s lead program, PLN-74809, is a small-molecule, dual selective inhibitor of αVβ1 / αVβ6 for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). These integrins cause upstream activation of TGF-β1 in actively fibrotic tissue. Inhibition of these integrins will block TGF-β1 activation, thereby preventing the growth of fibrotic tissue within the lung and bile ducts. PLN-74809 has entered clinical testing, following FDA- approval of the IND.
Pliant’s second program is a small molecule, selective inhibitor of αVβ1 for the treatment of end-stage liver fibrosis in NASH. Clinical testing is anticipated to start in 2019.
Pliant has additional programs in IPF leveraging a tissue-specific approach to modulating TGF-β1 activation. Epithelial cells and fibroblasts have emerged as principal players in fibrosis pathophysiology. Our animal models confirm that selectively targeting TGF-β1 activation in these cells holds great therapeutic promise.
Pliant is also focused on developing small molecules to selectively target transcriptional regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal-transition (EMT), a process that is induced by TGF-β1. By selectively targeting EMT, Pliant aims to target many fibrotic diseases through novel mechanisms.
Pliant Therapeutics, Inc.
260 Littlefield Avenue,
South San Francisco, CA 94080
info@pliantrx.com
650.481.6770