Core Insights - Pliant Therapeutics announced interim data from its Phase 1 dose escalation trial for PLN-101095, showing promising anti-tumor activity in ICI-refractory patients [1][2] - The company plans to accelerate the development of PLN-101095 with a Phase 1b expansion trial set to begin in 2026 [1][8] - Pliant maintains a strong cash position, supporting operations through 2028 [1] Group 1: Clinical Trial Results - In heavily pretreated patients, PLN-101095 combined with pembrolizumab resulted in one complete response and three partial responses among 10 secondary ICI refractory patients [2] - The median time on treatment for these patients was reported as 15 months [2] - Sixty percent of patients exhibited stable disease or tumor reduction [2] Group 2: Mechanism of Action and Biomarkers - Responding patients showed significant increases (4- to 13-fold) in plasma interferon gamma (IFN-γ) after a 14-day monotherapy with PLN-101095, while non-responders did not show meaningful increases [3] - PLN-101095 is designed to inhibit integrins αvβ8 and αvβ1, which are involved in creating an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment [12] Group 3: Future Development Plans - Based on the encouraging response data and biomarker correlations, Pliant plans to initiate a Phase 1b trial focusing on NSCLC and other tumor types in 2026 [8][9] - The company aims to explore the potential of PLN-101095 as a new treatment option for patients resistant to checkpoint inhibitors [9] Group 4: Company Overview - Pliant Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on integrin-based therapeutics, with PLN-101095 as its lead program [13] - The company is also developing PLN-101325, a monoclonal antibody targeting muscular dystrophies, and has a platform for tissue-specific drug delivery [11][13]