Novel Immunometabolism Approach Targets Immune-Cold Solid Tumors
DOVER, Del. and EPALINGES, Switzerland, April 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Pilatus Biosciences, pioneering biologics targeting metabolic checkpoints, will present new research on its lead candidate, PLT012, at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2025 Annual Meeting. The presentations will include an oral symposium by co-founder and Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), Prof. Ping-Chih Ho, and a poster session by Lead Scientist, Dr. Yi-Ru Yu. These efforts highlight PLT012’s potential as a novel therapeutic approach for immune-cold solid tumors. PLT012 is currently in late-stage preclinical development and progressing toward its first-in-human clinical trial.
PLT012 – CD36 blocking antibody leading to tumor microenvironment (TME) reprogramming
Event Participation and Presentations
Pilatus Biosciences will participate at the AACR 2025 Annual Meeting, held April 27-30, 2025, with the following presentations:
- Oral presentation: Prof. Ping-Chih Ho, co-founder and Chair of the SAB, will present during the Major Symposium SY21 – Immunometabolism and Metabolic Fitness in Tumors. The talk, titled “Reprogramming the Tumor Microenvironment with a Single Punch – Our Journey from Bench to Bedside”, is scheduled for April 28, 2025, at 1:15 PM.
- Poster presentation: Dr. Yi-Ru Yu, Lead Scientist, will present Abstract #6077 in Section 37, on April 29, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The poster will detail PLT012’s efficacy in addressing unmet needs in immune-cold solid tumors.
CEO Statement
“We are pleased to present our latest research at AACR 2025,” said Dr. Raven Lin, CEO of Pilatus Biosciences. “PLT012 reflects a differentiated approach—one that reawakens the immune system by targeting metabolic pathways, with the goal of extending the power of immunotherapy to patients who currently don’t benefit from it.”
“PLT012 has earned FDA Orphan Drug Designation for liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancers. Its ability to reprogram the tumor microenvironment has led us to explore synergistic combinations, including bispecific antibodies (BsAb) and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), in preclinical studies across various solid tumor models, addressing critical unmet needs in oncology.”
About PLT012
PLT012, is a humanized anti-CD36 antibody with a dual mechanism of action (MOA). It simultaneously inhibits immunosuppressive cell populations and enhances effector T cell function. Preclinical studies as a monotherapy have demonstrated its efficacy in both immune-hot and immune-cold tumor models, with a significant increase in GzmB-expressing CD8+ T cells and reductions in intratumoral Tregs and pro-tumorigenic macrophages. Additionally, PLT012 reshapes the exhaustion profile of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells by expanding both progenitor exhausted (Texprog) and terminally-exhausted (Texterm) populations with rejuvenated effector functions, leading to enhanced tumoricidal immunity. These findings suggest that PLT012, functioning as a metabolic regulator, may provide therapeutic benefits in cancer treatment, either as a monotherapy or in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors such as PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors. Other than oncology, the unique MOA as a metabolic regulator also shows the potential of reprogramming the metabolic environment with associated benefits, e.g. liver functional improvement, thus laying the groundwork for targeting a broader spectrum of metabolic and immunological diseases.
About Pilatus Biosciences
Pilatus Biosciences, a U.S./Swiss-based preclinical stage biotechnology company founded in 2022 with origins at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (Lausanne). The company develops first-in-class biologics targeting metabolic checkpoints to reprogram the tumor microenvironment. Supported by the Cancer Research Institute (New York), Pilatus collaborates with leading global cancer research institutions and hospitals. In 2024, the company expanded its R&D capabilities with a new lab in Taiwan, focusing on early clinical development and biomarker discovery. Pilatus operates with a lean international team and strategic external partnerships to deliver innovative therapies efficiently. For more information, visit www.pilatusbio.com.
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