Pliant Therapeutics Shares Long-Term Data From The INTEGRIS-PSC Phase 2a Trial Demonstrating Bexotegrast Was Well Tolerated At 320 mg With Continued Antifibrotic And Anti-Cholestatic Activity Displayed Across Multiple Measures

Author: Benzinga Newsdesk | July 15, 2024 08:02am

Bexotegrast at 320 mg was well tolerated up to 40 weeks of treatment with 

no treatment-related severe or serious adverse events

320 mg cohort demonstrated improvement in liver stiffness by transient elastography 

at Week 24 compared to placebo

Statistically significant improvement in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels 

over 24 weeks compared to placebo

Continued improvement in hepatocyte function and bile flow by contrast 

MRI imaging observed from Week 12 to Week 24

FDA guidance provided clarity on next steps of PSC development program

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX) today announced positive 24-week data from the 320 mg cohort of INTEGRIS-PSC, a multinational, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2a clinical trial of bexotegrast in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and suspected moderate to severe liver fibrosis. The 320 mg treatment group met its primary endpoint of safety, demonstrating that bexotegrast was well tolerated up to 40 weeks of treatment. Pruritus and cholangitis occurred in lower proportions on bexotegrast than on placebo, consistent with previous findings.

 

The trial's exploratory efficacy endpoints assessed changes in liver stiffness as measured by transient elastography (TE) at 24 weeks, changes in the liver fibrosis markers including Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) score, as well as liver biochemistry and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Bexotegrast at 320 mg demonstrated improvement in liver stiffness compared to placebo at Week 24. A reduction in ELF score was observed at Week 24 in patients at higher risk of disease progression (baseline ELF > 9.8) compared to an increase in ELF on placebo. Stable ELF score was observed from Week 12 to Week 24 in the overall bexotegrast-treated population compared to placebo. Bexotegrast improved markers and symptoms of cholestasis including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), MRI, self-reported itch, and common adverse events associated with PSC. Bexotegrast-treated patients showed decreased ALP levels over 24 weeks, compared to increased ALP on placebo. MRI of the liver demonstrated evidence of further improvement of hepatocyte function and bile flow with bexotegrast at the 320 mg dose from Week 12 to 24.

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