Pliant Therapeutics Secures $100 Million Series C Financing Led by Novartis to Advance Fibrotic Disease Therapies

Fibrosis is a pathological feature of many diseases, resulting from the dysregulation of the body’s natural ability to repair tissue damage. If left untreated, fibrosis can lead to scarring in vital organs, causing irreversible functional impairment and even organ failure. Organs susceptible to fibrosis include the lungs, liver, kidneys, heart, and gastrointestinal tract, among others.

On the 4th, Pliant Therapeutics announced the completion of a $100 million Series C financing round led by Novartis, to support the clinical development of PLN-74809 for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), as well as other drug development programs targeting fibrotic diseases.

The company’s drug development strategy targets two key mechanisms driving fibrosis: TGF-β activation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). TGF-β is a critical regulator of pathological fibrosis, while EMT is the primary driver underlying the abnormal transformation of normal epithelial cells into activated fibroblasts. Pliant Therapeutics’ approach to targeting the TGF-β signaling pathway involves inhibiting integrins to specifically antagonize TGF-β signaling within fibrotic tissues. Broad inhibition of the TGF-β signaling pathway has been shown to cause adverse systemic side effects. In contrast, tissue-specific inhibition of TGF-β signaling maximizes therapeutic efficacy while avoiding such side effects.

Pliant Therapeutics’ R&D Pipeline (Image source: Pliant Therapeutics’ official website)

The company’s lead drug candidate, PLN-74809, is a dual small-molecule selective inhibitor that simultaneously and selectively inhibits integrins αvβ1 and αvβ6, which play key roles in multiple fibrotic pathways. This therapy is initially being developed for the treatment of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). IPF is a highly fatal rare lung disease, with 60%–80% of patients dying within five years of diagnosis. PSC is a rare progressive disease affecting the bile ducts that can lead to cholangiocarcinoma or hepatocellular carcinoma, ultimately resulting in liver failure.

In preclinical studies, PLN-74809 was shown to modulate the function of specific integrins expressed exclusively in fibrotic tissue, thereby selectively blocking TGF-β activation. It can prevent, and potentially even reverse, the growth of fibrotic tissue in the lungs and liver. Currently, PLN-74809 is undergoing Phase 2a clinical trials. Previously, it received Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. FDA. Pliant’s second candidate drug, PLN-1474, is an oral selective αvβ1 small-molecule inhibitor targeting liver fibrosis associated with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

“We are honored to have the support of these world-class investors in helping us realize our vision of developing medicines for patients with serious fibrotic diseases,” said Bernard Coulie, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Pliant Therapeutics. “This financing will support the clinical development of our lead candidates in IPF and PSC, as well as our ongoing strategy to build a proprietary pipeline of candidates targeting a broad range of other fibrotic diseases.”

Image source: Pliant official website

References:

[1] PLIANT THERAPEUTICS RAISES $100 MILLION IN SERIES C FINANCING TO ADVANCE THERAPIES FOR FIBROTIC DISEASES，Retrieved March 03，2020，from https://pliantrx.com/pliant-therapeutics-raises-100-million-in-series-c-financing-to-advance-therapies-for-fibrotic-diseases/

Original Title: Novartis Leads $100 Million Financing Round for Fibrosis Disease Treatment Company