Pliant reports Q2 2026 results, adds two oncology-focused directors as FORTIFY enrollment continues

Pliant Therapeutics gave a corporate update alongside its second quarter 2026 financial results on August 11, 2026, highlighting continued momentum in its lead oncology program and two new board appointments.

The company said enrollment remains strong and is progressing ahead of schedule in FORTIFY, with interim data expected in 2027.¹ FORTIFY is a Phase 1a/1b open-label, dose-escalation and indication expansion trial evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary antitumor activity of PLN-101095 in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor-refractory advanced or metastatic solid tumors.¹ The Phase 1b portion will enroll up to 102 patients across three cohorts including non-small cell lung cancer, clear cell renal cell carcinoma, and tumors with high tumor mutational burden, with patients treated for 14 days on PLN-101095 monotherapy at 1,000 mg twice daily before pembrolizumab is added.¹

At the AACR Drug Discovery and Development conference in July, Pliant presented updated Phase 1 biomarker data. All responding patients showed large increases in plasma interferon gamma after 14 days of monotherapy, and updated data showed increases in CXCL9 and granzyme-B in responders, signaling a shift in the tumor microenvironment that could potentially resensitize tumors to pembrolizumab; no non-responders showed these biomarker increases.¹

Pliant also said it is developing an integrin-targeted delivery platform for drug payloads including siRNAs, with current programs focused on delivering siRNAs to skeletal muscle cells and other tissues, with preclinical proof-of-concept studies ongoing.¹ The company said it plans to share additional detail on the platform and path forward, including initial treatment indications, in the second half of 2026.¹

The board added two oncology veterans: Flavia Borellini, who has spent more than 25 years in biopharmaceutical executive management with a focus on developing targeted oncology drugs from preclinical through commercial stages,¹ and Robert Iannone, who currently holds the title of "Executive Vice President, Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer" at Jazz Pharmaceuticals and has more than two decades of drug development and regulatory leadership experience, including approvals of several targeted and immuno-oncology medicines.¹

Financially, the company reported cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $159.6 million as of June 30, 2026, which it expects will fund operations into the second half of 2028.¹ Net loss for the quarter was $22.4 million, down from $43.3 million a year earlier, driven mainly by lower operating expenses following the 2025 termination of bexotegrast development in IPF and reduced headcount-related costs.¹