Pliant Therapeutics Presents Data from its Bexotegrast Program at the American Thoracic Society International Conference

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLRX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company and leader in the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of fibrotic diseases, today announced that the Company presented clinical data and preclinical data of bexotegrast (PLN-74809) this week as part of the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2024 International Conference, held from May 17-22, 2024.

“Our 2024 ATS presentations include comprehensive clinical safety and imaging data, as well as preclinical data from our bexotegrast development program that provide further support the late-stage development of this novel therapeutic in our currently enrolling BEACON-IPF trial,” said Éric Lefebvre, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Pliant Therapeutics.

Update on the Safety and Tolerability of Bexotegrast, A Dual-selective Inhibitor of Integrins αvβ6 and αvβ1, in Development for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

In an oral presentation, Gregory P. Cosgrove, M.D., FCCP, Vice President of Clinical Development at Pliant Therapeutics provided an integrated safety and tolerability analysis of bexotegrast across completed studies with unblinded data, including those conducted in healthy volunteers and in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) or primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). To date, in unblinded and blinded studies, bexotegrast has been administered to over 700 participants. Across 11 Phase 1 and 4 Phase 2 trials, bexotegrast was well tolerated, most treatment-emergent adverse events being mild to moderate with trial participants experiencing low drug discontinuation rates.

Bexotegrast Targets TGF-beta Inhibition to Specific Cell Types in the Fibrotic Human Lung

In a poster presentation, Mahru C. An, Ph.D., Principal Scientist at Pliant Therapeutics, reviewed results from a differential gene expression analysis of bexotegrast in fibrotic human precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) performed at the single cell level. Inhibition with bexotegrast showed a distinct pharmacodynamic profile in fibrotic human PCLS compared with ALK5 inhibition. Bexotegrast targeted reduction of TGF-β signaling, a master regulator in fibrosis, in fibrogenic cells, with reduced effects on other cell types previously associated with TGF-β-inhibition toxicities.