SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLRX), a late-stage biotechnology company and leader in the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of fibrotic diseases, today announced two poster presentations, including a late-breaker, were presented at the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) International Liver Congress™ being held June 5-8, 2024.

“We were pleased to share our latest data from our bexotegrast program in PSC including positive topline results from our Phase 2a INTEGRIS-PSC trial. These data represent the progress we continue to make in advancing this novel drug in fighting fibrotic liver disease. We look forward to presenting additional data from INTEGRIS-PSC in the coming weeks,” said Éric Lefebvre, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Pliant Therapeutics.

Oral alpha-v/beta-6 and alpha-v/beta-1 integrin inhibitor bexotegrast in primary sclerosing cholangitis: Updated 12-week interim safety and efficacy analysis of the INTEGRIS-PSC Phase 2a trial

In a late breaker oral presentation, Michael Trauner, M.D., Chair of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine III at the Medical University Clinic in Vienna, Austria presented interim results from the ongoing randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2a INTEGRIS-PSC trial. Results showed that bexotegrast was well tolerated across all dose cohorts over 12 weeks of treatment. Across all doses tested, bexotegrast attenuated increases in enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) scores and pro-peptide of type III collagen formation (PRO-C3) when compared to placebo supporting bexotegrast’s antifibrotic mechanism of action.

Dual alpha-v/beta-6 and alpha-v/beta-1 integrin inhibitor bexotegrast targets TGF-beta inhibition to specific cell types in human liver explant tissue with biliary fibrosis

In a poster presentation, Johanna Schaub, Ph.D., Principal Scientist II, Translational Sciences, at Pliant Therapeutics presented results from differential gene expression analysis of bexotegrast in human precision-cut liver slices with biliary fibrosis performed at the single cell level. Inhibition with bexotegrast showed a differentiated profile from TGF-β receptor (ALK5) inhibition. Bexotegrast targeted reduction of TGF-β signaling, a master regulator in fibrosis, in fibrogenic cells, with attenuated effects on cell types associated with the immunomodulatory functions of TGF-β.

Posters presented at the 2024 (EASL) International Liver Congress™ are available on Pliant’s website under the Publications section at https://pliantrx.com/publications.

About Pliant Therapeutics, Inc.

Pliant Therapeutics is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company and leader in the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of fibrotic diseases. Pliant's lead product candidate, bexotegrast (PLN-74809), is an oral, small molecule, dual selective inhibitor of αvß6 and αvß1 integrins that is in development in the lead indications for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF, and primary sclerosing cholangitis, or PSC. Bexotegrast has received Fast Track Designation and Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in IPF and PSC and Orphan Drug Designation from the European Medicines Agency in IPF and PSC. Pliant has initiated BEACON-IPF, an adaptive Phase 2b/3 trial of bexotegrast in IPF. Pliant is conducting a Phase 1 study for its third clinical program, PLN-101095, a small molecule, dual-selective inhibitor of αvß8 and αvß1 integrins, that is being developed for the treatment of solid tumors. In addition, Pliant has received regulatory clearance for the conduct of a Phase 1 study of PLN-101325, a monoclonal antibody agonist of integrin α7β1 targeting muscular dystrophies.

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Investor and Media Contact:

Christopher Keenan
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Pliant Therapeutics, Inc.
ir@pliantrx.com