Pilatus Biosciences, a biotechnology company developing immunometabolic therapies for cancer, today announced a preclinical publication in Cancer Discovery detailing the mechanism and therapeutic potential of its lead candidate, PLT012.
The paper, titled: “PLT012, a Humanized CD36-Blocking Antibody, Is Effective for Unleashing Anti-Tumor Immunity Against Liver Cancer and Liver Metastasis,” establishes PLT012 as the first humanized antibody to target CD36, a lipid scavenger receptor implicated in immune dysfunction in metabolically hostile tumor microenvironments and highlights its efficacy in restoring anti-tumor immunity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and colorectal liver metastases.
CD36 is upregulated in immune cells exposed to lipid-rich, inflammatory environments and has emerged as a key driver of immune suppression in solid tumors. By blocking CD36-mediated lipid uptake, PLT012 reduces intratumoral Tregs and pro-tumor macrophages, while enhancing CD8+ T cell infiltration, survival, and cytotoxicity.
