Pliant Therapeutics has attracted $100m in a series C round led by Novartis, four years after it was founded to commercialise UC San Francisco research into fibrosis treatment.
Pliant Therapeutics, a US-based fibrosis therapy developer based on research at University of California (UC), San Francisco, yesterday raised $100m in a series C round led by pharmaceutical firm Novartis.
Redmile, Farallon Capital Management, Cormorant Asset Management, Surveyor Capital, Logos Capital, Eventide Asset Management, Cowen Healthcare Investments, Schroder Adveq, Menlo Ventures, SCubed Capital, Agent Capital and unnamed additional backers filled out the round.
Pliant is working on treatments that can either slow or halt the progression of life-threatening fibrotic diseases. Its lead asset, PLN-74809, is aimed at idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis – which results in scarring of the lung – and primary sclerosing cholangitis, which affects the liver and causes scarring of the ducts that allow bile to drain from the gallbladder.
The company is also developing PLN-1474 for the treatment of liver fibrosis associated with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis – the inflammation of liver tissue and a damaging build-up…
Thierry Heles
Thierry Heles is the editor of Global University Venturing, host of the Beyond the Breakthrough interview podcast and responsible for the monthly GUV Gazette (sign up here for free).
