Pilatus Biosciences launches first-in-human trial in collaboration with Roche

Vaud-based Pilatus Biosciences will evaluate its lead immunotherapy candidate PLT012 in combination with Roche’s atezolizumab in a Phase 1 trial for liver cancer.

Pilatus Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical company based at the Biopôle in Épalinges (Vaud), has announced the launch of its first-in-human Phase 1 trial. The study will test the company’s lead candidate, PLT012, in combination with atezolizumab (Tecentriq), provided by Roche, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of primary liver cancer.

Founded in 2022 from research at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and supported by the Cancer Research Institute, Pilatus develops metabolic checkpoint immunotherapies designed to reprogram the tumor microenvironment (TME). Its international R&D activities are split between Switzerland and Taiwan, with a focus on liver and gastrointestinal cancers.

Targeting the tumor microenvironment in liver cancer

PLT012 is a humanized monoclonal antibody designed to selectively block CD36-mediated lipid uptake, a mechanism that contributes to immune suppression and resistance to treatment in liver tumors. By targeting lipid metabolism, PLT012 seeks to convert “cold” tumors into more responsive ones, enhancing the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti–PD-L1 therapies.

Preclinical studies have shown that PLT012 demonstrates potent activity as a monotherapy in liver cancer models, while also acting as a strong sensitizer when combined with checkpoint inhibitors. This dual activity suggests potential for both direct anti-tumor effects and improved responsiveness to existing therapies.

“This collaboration represents an opportunity to investigate how modulation of the tumor microenvironment can enhance immune checkpoint blockade in liver cancer,” said Dr. Ann-Lii Cheng, NTU Chair Professor and President Emeritus of the NTU Cancer Center at National Taiwan University, and a scientific collaborator with Pilatus. Dr. Cheng previously served as global principal investigator of the landmark IMbrave150 trial that established atezolizumab plus bevacizumab as a standard of care for HCC.