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Pliant Therapeutics Announces Advancement of Integrin Target in Fibrosis Under Strategic Collaboration
Integrin target selected for development under 2019 collaboration following successful validation by PliantPliant to receive $4 million milestone payment and
About this update from Pliant Therapeutics, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Integrin target selected for development under 2019 collaboration following successful validation by PliantPliant to receive $4 million milestone payment and reimbursement in support of initiation of research and development activities SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLRX), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of fibrosis, today announced the advancement of a fibrosis-directed integrin target into development as part of the Company’s 2019 research and development collaboration with Novartis. This initiation of work follows Pliant’s successful achievement of target validation under the agreement. “This milestone highlights the productivity of the antifibrotic drug development platform on which Pliant was founded as well as our commitment to developing new therapies to treat patients with fibrotic diseases,” said Scott Turner, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Research at Pliant Therapeutics. Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, Pliant will receive a $4 million milestone payment and research funding to support the initiation of development work on the target. Any new product candidates directed to the target will be subject to milestones and royalties payable to Pliant. About Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. Pliant Therapeutics is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel therapies for the treatment of fibrosis. Pliant's lead product candidate, 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. PLN-74809 has received Fast Track Designation and Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in IPF and Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA and European Medicines Agency in PSC. Pliant is currently conducting Phase 2a trials of PLN-74809 in the lead indications of IPF and PSC. Pliant has also developed PLN-1474, a small molecule selective inhibitor of αvß1 for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH with liver fibrosis, which Pliant has transferred to Novartis pursuant to our development partnership. In addition to clinical...