PLRX official logo PLRX
PLRX 1-star rating from Upturn Advisory
Pliant Therapeutics Inc (PLRX) company logo

Pliant Therapeutics Inc (PLRX)

Pliant Therapeutics Inc (PLRX) 1-star rating from Upturn Advisory
$1.32
Last Close (24-hour delay)
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Upturn Advisory Summary

01/09/2026: PLRX (1-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.

Upturn Star Rating

Upturn 1 star rating for performance

Not Recommended Performance

These Stocks/ETFs, based on Upturn Advisory, consistently fall short of market performance, signaling caution before investing.

Number of Analysts

3 star rating from financial analysts

13 Analysts rated it

Moderately tracked stock, growing coverage, gaining market and investor attention.

1 Year Target Price $3.25

1 Year Target Price $3.25

Analysts Price Target For last 52 week
$3.25 Target price
52w Low $1.1
Current$1.32
52w High $12.88

Analysis of Past Performance

Type Stock
Historic Profit -67.83%
Avg. Invested days 18
Today’s Advisory PASS
Upturn Star Rating upturn star rating icon
Upturn Advisory Performance Upturn Advisory Performance icon 1.0
Stock Returns Performance Upturn Returns Performance icon 1.0
Upturn Profits based on simulation icon Profits based on simulation
Upturn last close icon Last Close 01/09/2026

Key Highlights

Company Size Small-Cap Stock
Market Capitalization 80.50M USD
Price to earnings Ratio -
1Y Target Price 3.25
Price to earnings Ratio -
1Y Target Price 3.25
Volume (30-day avg) 13
Beta 1.37
52 Weeks Range 1.10 - 12.88
Updated Date 01/9/2026
52 Weeks Range 1.10 - 12.88
Updated Date 01/9/2026
Dividends yield (FY) -
Basic EPS (TTM) -2.86

Earnings Date

Report Date -
When -
Estimate -
Actual -

Profitability

Profit Margin -
Operating Margin (TTM) -

Management Effectiveness

Return on Assets (TTM) -32.87%
Return on Equity (TTM) -64.27%

Valuation

Trailing PE -
Forward PE -
Enterprise Value -101441306
Price to Sales(TTM) 3071.82
Enterprise Value -101441306
Price to Sales(TTM) 3071.82
Enterprise Value to Revenue 1376.69
Enterprise Value to EBITDA -2.54
Shares Outstanding 61449385
Shares Floating 50936624
Shares Outstanding 61449385
Shares Floating 50936624
Percent Insiders 2.59
Percent Institutions 84.56

Icon representing Upturn AI-generated SWOT analysis summary Upturn AI SWOT

Pliant Therapeutics Inc

Pliant Therapeutics Inc(PLRX) company logo displayed in Upturn AI summary

Company Overview

Company history and background logo History and Background

Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 2014. It is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing, and commercializing novel therapies for patients suffering from fibrotic and other severe diseases. The company focuses on targeting the underlying mechanisms of fibrosis.

Company business area logo Core Business Areas

  • Therapeutic Development: Pliant Therapeutics focuses on developing small molecule therapeutics for fibrotic diseases. Their primary strategy involves targeting pathways that regulate cellular signaling and extracellular matrix deposition in fibrotic conditions.

leadership logo Leadership and Structure

The leadership team comprises experienced professionals in drug development, clinical research, and business operations. The specific organizational structure is typical of a biopharmaceutical company, with departments dedicated to research, development, clinical affairs, regulatory affairs, and commercial strategy.

Top Products and Market Share

Product Key Offerings logo Key Offerings

  • Description: A small molecule inhibitor of integrin u03b1vu03b26 and u03b1vu03b21, which are critical mediators of fibrotic signaling. It is being investigated for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and other fibrotic diseases. Competitors include companies developing antifibrotic agents, such as Gilead Sciences (with compounds targeting TGF-u03b2) and various early-stage developers. Specific market share data is not yet available as the product is in clinical development.
  • Product Name 1: PLN-74809
  • Description: A small molecule targeting an undisclosed fibrotic pathway. It is in preclinical development for various fibrotic indications. As it is in early-stage development, no market share data or specific competitor information is readily available.
  • Product Name 2: PLN-005

Market Dynamics

industry overview logo Industry Overview

The biopharmaceutical industry, particularly in the rare and fibrotic disease space, is characterized by significant unmet medical needs, high R&D costs, and a long development cycle. There is a growing focus on targeted therapies that address the root causes of diseases rather than just symptoms.

Positioning

Pliant Therapeutics positions itself as a leader in developing novel therapeutics for fibrotic diseases by focusing on specific molecular targets. Their competitive advantage lies in their scientific platform and pipeline of differentiated drug candidates designed to address the underlying mechanisms of fibrosis.

Total Addressable Market (TAM)

The total addressable market for fibrotic diseases is substantial and growing, with millions of patients worldwide suffering from conditions like IPF, NASH, and kidney fibrosis. Pliant Therapeutics, by targeting these prevalent and severe conditions, aims to capture a significant portion of this market. Precise TAM figures vary by indication, but collectively, they represent a multi-billion dollar opportunity.

Upturn SWOT Analysis

Strengths

  • Proprietary drug discovery and development platform focused on fibrotic diseases.
  • Promising clinical-stage pipeline with differentiated drug candidates (e.g., PLN-74809).
  • Experienced management team with a track record in drug development.
  • Strong scientific foundation in understanding fibrotic pathways.

Weaknesses

  • Clinical-stage company with no approved products, meaning revenue generation is dependent on future success.
  • High reliance on successful clinical trial outcomes and regulatory approvals.
  • Significant capital requirements for ongoing research and development.
  • Limited product diversification at this stage.

Opportunities

  • Growing understanding of fibrotic mechanisms leading to new therapeutic targets.
  • Significant unmet medical needs in various fibrotic diseases.
  • Potential for strategic partnerships and collaborations with larger pharmaceutical companies.
  • Expansion into other fibrotic indications beyond current focus areas.

Threats

  • Clinical trial failures or unexpected adverse events.
  • Regulatory hurdles and lengthy approval processes.
  • Competition from other companies developing therapies for fibrotic diseases.
  • Patent expirations and generic competition for future approved products.
  • Changes in healthcare policy and reimbursement.

Competitors and Market Share

Key competitor logo Key Competitors

  • Galmed Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (GLMD)
  • Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND)
  • Verve Therapeutics, Inc. (VERV)

Competitive Landscape

Pliant Therapeutics competes in the challenging but potentially lucrative field of fibrotic disease treatments. Its advantages lie in its focused approach and potentially differentiated mechanisms of action. However, it faces intense competition from established pharmaceutical companies and well-funded emerging biotechs. Key differentiators include its specific integrin targets and platform for identifying fibrotic pathways.

Growth Trajectory and Initiatives

Historical Growth: Historically, Pliant Therapeutics' growth has been driven by its ability to secure funding (through venture capital and later IPO) and advance its pipeline through preclinical and clinical development stages. This growth is measured by pipeline progression and scientific milestones.

Future Projections: Future growth projections are heavily dependent on the successful development and regulatory approval of its lead drug candidates, particularly PLN-74809. Analyst estimates would focus on the potential market penetration and peak sales of these future products.

Recent Initiatives: Recent initiatives likely include the advancement of PLN-74809 into later-stage clinical trials, strategic partnerships for further development or commercialization, and continued investment in its research platform to discover and develop new fibrotic disease therapies.

Summary

Pliant Therapeutics is a promising clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a strong focus on fibrotic diseases. Its key drug candidate, PLN-74809, shows potential, but the company faces significant risks inherent to drug development, including clinical trial success and regulatory approval. Continued funding and effective pipeline advancement are crucial for its future success, while competition and market dynamics require careful navigation.

Similar Stocks

Sources and Disclaimers

Data Sources:

  • Company's official website
  • SEC Filings (e.g., 10-K, 10-Q)
  • Financial news and data providers (e.g., Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg)
  • Industry analysis reports

Disclaimers:

This JSON output is generated based on publicly available information and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice. Investing in biopharmaceutical companies, especially those in clinical development, involves significant risk. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Information icon for Upturn AI Summarization accuracy disclaimer AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.

Information icon for Upturn AI Summarization data freshness disclaimer Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.

Information icon warning about Upturn AI Fundamental Rating based on potentially old data Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.

Information icon warning about potential inaccuracies or hallucinations in Upturn AI-generated summaries AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.

About Pliant Therapeutics Inc

Exchange NASDAQ
Headquaters South San Francisco, CA, United States
IPO Launch date 2020-06-03
President, CEO & Director Dr. Bernard Coulie M.B.A., M.D., Ph.D.
Sector Healthcare
Industry Biotechnology
Full time employees 171
Full time employees 171

Pliant Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and commercializes novel therapies for the treatment of fibrosis and related diseases. The company's lead candidate includes bexotegrast, an oral, small-molecule, dual selective inhibitor of avß6 and avß1 integrins, which has completed phase 2a trial for primary sclerosing cholangitis. It also develops PLN-1474, an oral, small-molecule selective inhibitor of avß1 for the treatment of liver fibrosis associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; PLN-101095, a dual inhibitor of integrins avß8 and avß1 for the treatment of solid tumors; and PLN-101325, a phase 1-ready program for treatment of the muscular dystrophies, including duchenne muscular dystrophy. Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. was incorporated in 2015 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.