Pliant Therapeutics Presents Clinical and Preclinical Data at the American Thoracic Society International Conference

Core Insights - Pliant Therapeutics presented clinical and preclinical data at the ATS 2025 International Conference, highlighting the antifibrotic activity of bexotegrast and its potential in treating fibrotic diseases [1] Group 1: Antifibrotic Activity of Bexotegrast - Bexotegrast, a dual inhibitor of αVβ6/αVβ1 integrins, demonstrated reduced expression of genes related to TGF-β signaling and fibrogenesis in alveolar type 1 cells and various fibroblast subpopulations [2] - Single-nuclei RNAseq analysis showed that bexotegrast significantly reduced the expression of type I collagen and other profibrotic genes in aberrant basaloid cells and fibroblasts, indicating its distinct pharmacodynamic profile compared to nintedanib [4] Group 2: Biomarker Analysis - A comparative analysis of circulating plasma biomarkers identified dysregulated biomarkers across multiple ILD subtypes, which could aid in clinical decision-making for ILD [3] Group 3: Company Overview - Pliant Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapeutics for fibrotic diseases, with bexotegrast as its lead product candidate undergoing evaluation for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis [6] - The company has received Fast Track and Orphan Drug Designations from the FDA for bexotegrast, and is also conducting Phase 1 studies for other drug candidates targeting solid tumors and muscular dystrophies [6]