: Pliant Therapeutics shares surge as liver-disease treatment shows promise in clinical trial

Pliant Therapeutics Inc. shares PLRX gained 23% premarket on Tuesday after the company released results from a trial of bexotegrast, a treatment for a chronic liver disease. The trial met its primary and secondary goals, and bexotegrast was well tolerated over a 12-week treatment period in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and suspected liver fibrosis, the company said in a release. In PSC, which affects more than 30,000 people in the U.S. and has no treatment currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, bile can build up in the liver and cause damage. Pliant is also looking to broaden future development of bexotegrast into other pulmonary and liver indications, the company said. Pliant shares are down 24% in the year to date, while the S&P 500 SPX has gained 13%.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

Previous post : Intercept Pharmaceuticals’ stock set to soar after Alfasigma buyout deal for an 82% premium
Next post : Domino’s price target raised to $450 by Oppenheimer as pizza chain added to ‘top picks’