PLRX

Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel therapies for fibrotic diseases. Headquartered in South San Francisco, California, the company targets integrins, a family of cell surface receptors that play a central role in the fibrotic process across multiple organs. Pliant's lead product candidate, bexotegrast (PLN-74809), is an oral, small-molecule, selective dual inhibitor of αvβ6 and αvβ1 integrins currently in Phase 2b clinical trials for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). The company's pipeline also includes PLN-101095, a small-molecule inhibitor targeting muscular fibrosis indications. Founded in 2015, Pliant has established strategic collaborations with Novartis, which licensed bexotegrast for IPF outside the United States in a deal valued at up to $1.4 billion including milestones and royalties. The company maintains research operations in South San Francisco and employs approximately 150 people. Pliant completed its initial public offering in 2020, raising capital to advance its integrin-based therapeutic platform. The company's approach focuses on developing oral therapies that can address multiple fibrotic diseases by targeting common underlying biological pathways, differentiating itself from organ-specific treatments currently available in the market.