Pilatus Biosciences, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel metabolic checkpoint immunotherapies to address unmet medical needs in cancer and immune-related diseases, today announced that new preclinical data from PLT012, its lead first-in-class CD36-targeting monoclonal antibody, will be presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress 2026, held September 5-9, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain.
The findings expand the potential applications of Pilatus’s CD36 metabolic checkpoint platform beyond oncology and MASH, demonstrating disease-modifying activity in preclinical models of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The presentation will highlight PLT012’s ability to selectively inhibit CD36, a central regulator of lipid metabolism, chronic inflammation and tissue repair. In preclinical models of COPD, PLT012 demonstrated the ability to reduce inflammation, preserve alveolar architecture and improve lung function, supporting its potential as a disease-modifying therapy.
“This data represents an important validation of our CD36 metabolic checkpoint platform and further demonstrate the versatility of targeting CD36 across multiple diseases,” said Raven Lin, CEO and Co-Founder, Pilatus Biosciences. “Following our encouraging preclinical and emerging clinical data in oncology, as well as our recently published MASH results, COPD represents another important step in expanding the therapeutic potential of our platform. Together, these programs support our Pipeline-in-a-Product strategy, with a single differentiated mechanism that has the potential to address multiple diseases characterized by chronic inflammation, metabolic dysfunction and impaired tissue regeneration.”
COPD is characterized by progressive destruction of alveolar tissue, chronic inflammation, and declining lung function. Increasing evidence suggests that lipid dysregulation and elevated CD36 expression contribute to impaired tissue repair and perpetuate a cycle of inflammation and structural damage.
“PLT012 is designed to interrupt these fundamental disease mechanisms by selectively blocking CD36, representing a differentiated therapeutic approach from currently available anti-inflammatory therapies,” said Yi-Ru Yu, Ph.D., Head of Biology, Pilatus Biosciences. “These data reinforce our belief that CD36 is a fundamental driver of disease across multiple therapeutic areas. By simultaneously reducing inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration, PLT012 has the potential to deliver disease-modifying benefit beyond oncology. COPD represents an important expansion of our CD36 platform and further supports its potential across a broad range of immune-related diseases.”
The ERS presentation represents another milestone in Pilatus’s strategy to establish CD36 as a broadly applicable metabolic checkpoint therapy, enabling a single therapeutic platform with potential applications across oncology, metabolic disease, and chronic inflammatory disorders.
ERS 2026 Poster Presentation Details
Title: Targeting CD36 with PLT012 for Tissue Regeneration and Immune Modulation in COPD
Presentation Date/Time: Tuesday, September 8, 2026 / 8:00-9:30 AM
Presenter: Dr. Laura Fernandez-Rodriguez
Location: Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain
For more information about the ERS Congress, visit https://www.ersnet.org/congress-and-events/congress.
About PLT012
PLT012 is the lead investigational therapy from Pilatus Biosciences’ first-in-class CD36 metabolic checkpoint platform. The humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody selectively blocks CD36, a key regulator of lipid metabolism, inflammation and tissue repair. PLT012 is currently being evaluated in an ongoing Phase 1 oncology clinical trial, where it has demonstrated early evidence of disease control together with a favorable safety profile. In preclinical studies, PLT012 has demonstrated disease-modifying activity across oncology, MASH and COPD, supporting Pilatus’ Pipeline-in-a-Product strategy to develop a single differentiated mechanism across multiple high-unmet-need indications.
About Pilatus Biosciences
Pilatus Biosciences is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering metabolic checkpoint therapeutics for cancer and immune-related diseases. Founded in 2022 from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, and supported by the Cancer Research Institute, Pilatus operates internationally with R&D teams in Switzerland, U.S, and Taiwan. The company’s lead program, PLT012, targets CD36 to reprogram the tumor microenvironment and restore anti-tumor immunity in solid tumors. For more information, visit www.pilatusbio.com.
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