A company paying $80m up front to license a preclinical asset can turn heads, but Novartis AG is committing that much for Pliant Therapeutics Inc.’s integrin inhibitor PLN-1474 for two reasons – it adds a drug with an anti-fibrotic mechanism to its portfolio of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) candidates, and the drug’s preclinical development included head-to-head testing with other NASH candidates in human liver tissue from transplant patients.
South San Francisco-based Pliant announced before the markets opened on 23 October that it will get $80m up front – in both cash and equity commitments that weren’t detailed – along with potential development, regulatory and commercial milestones and tiered sales royalties for PLN-1474, a small molecule, selective inhibitor of integrin alpha V beta 1 that is in
Read the full article – start your free trial today!
Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Scrip for daily insights
- Start your 7-day free trial
- Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
- Access comprehensive global coverage
- Enjoy instant access – no credit card required
Already a subscriber?