Pilatus Biosciences Taps Scientific 'Dream Team' to Guide New Wave of Cancer Therapy

DOVER, Del. & EPALINGES, Switzerland – May 05, 2026 – Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Pilatus Biosciences has announced the formation of a high-powered Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), a strategic move that brings together some of the world's foremost experts in immunology, oncology, and liver disease. The formation of the board signals a significant acceleration in the company’s mission to develop a new class of drugs known as metabolic checkpoint immunotherapies, designed to fight cancer and other immune-related diseases by targeting their metabolic machinery.

Founded in 2022 as a spin-off from the prestigious Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Pilatus is advancing a novel approach that goes beyond current immunotherapies. The new SAB, packed with scientific luminaries, is poised to provide critical guidance as the company pushes its lead candidate, PLT012, through clinical trials and builds out its future pipeline.

“We are honored to assemble such an accomplished group of scientific leaders whose work has defined key advances across immunometabolism and immune regulation,” said Raven Lin, CEO & Founder of Pilatus Biosciences, in the company's official announcement. “Their collective expertise will be instrumental as we advance our lead program, PLT012, and continue to build a pipeline of metabolic checkpoint immunotherapies.”

An All-Star Roster for a New Scientific Frontier

The composition of the SAB reads like a who's who of modern immunology and oncology research, underscoring the company's strategic intent. The board will be chaired by Dr. Ping-Chih Ho, a co-founder of Pilatus and a Professor of Oncology at the University of Lausanne. Dr. Ho is a leading figure in the field of immunometabolism, with his lab focusing on the metabolic competition between tumor cells and immune cells.

Joining him are four other globally recognized experts:

• Dr. Susan Kaech, Executive Vice President and Director of the Immunology Accelerator at the Allen Institute. A leading immunologist, Dr. Kaech’s work on T cell biology and how nutrient availability in tumors affects immune function is directly relevant to Pilatus’s core mission.
• Dr. Philip D. Greenberg, Head of the Program in Immunology at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. A pioneer in T cell immunotherapy, his extensive experience will be invaluable in translating Pilatus's science into effective patient treatments.
• Dr. Andrew X. Zhu, an internationally recognized authority on liver cancer, Director of the Jiahui International Cancer Center, and Director Emeritus of Liver Cancer Research at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. His deep expertise in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is particularly significant given that PLT012 has received FDA Fast Track Designation for this very disease.
• Dr. Matteo Iannacone, Head of the Dynamics of Immune Responses Unit at the San Raffaele Scientific Institute. As a leader in liver immunology, Dr. Iannacone’s insights will be crucial for developing therapies for liver diseases, including cancer and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).

“Pilatus Biosciences was founded on a strong scientific vision to advance metabolic checkpoint immunotherapy, with PLT012 representing a novel and promising approach,” said Dr. Ho. “I look forward to working closely with the team and the Scientific Advisory Board to support its continued development and clinical translation.”

Reprogramming the Tumor's Defenses

Pilatus Biosciences is at the forefront of a new approach that treats cancer not just as a genetic disease, but as a metabolic one. Many aggressive tumors create a hostile microenvironment rich in lipids (fats) that exhausts and disables the body's natural immune defenders, like CD8+ T cells. This allows the cancer to grow unchecked, even in the presence of immunotherapies like PD-1 inhibitors.

Pilatus’s lead candidate, PLT012, is a monoclonal antibody that targets a protein called CD36. This protein acts as a transporter, or a gateway, that allows cells to absorb fatty acids. In the tumor microenvironment, CD36 on immune cells can lead to their dysfunction. By blocking CD36, PLT012 is designed to essentially starve the immunosuppressive mechanisms within the tumor, thereby “reprogramming” the local environment to be hostile to cancer. This approach aims to reawaken and enhance the anti-tumor activity of the body's own immune system.

The target is also implicated in a range of inflammatory conditions, most notably MASH, a severe liver disease characterized by inflammation and cell damage that can progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer. This dual applicability in both oncology and inflammatory disease gives the PLT012 program significant therapeutic potential.

From a Promising Target to Clinical Reality

While the science is cutting-edge, Pilatus is already translating it into clinical action. In March 2026, the company dosed the first patient in a Phase 1 clinical trial (NCT07337525) for PLT012 in patients with advanced solid tumors. The study is designed to evaluate the drug's safety and early signs of efficacy.

Underscoring the promise of this approach, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already granted PLT012 both Fast Track Designation and Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common type of liver cancer. These designations are intended to expedite the development and review of drugs that address serious unmet medical needs.

Further validating its progress, the company is scheduled to present new preclinical data at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2026 annual meeting. The presentation will reportedly highlight the sex-specific efficacy of its CD36-targeting antibody in colorectal cancer models, demonstrating continued scientific momentum.

A Strategic Play in an Emerging Market

The formation of the SAB is not just a scientific milestone but also a shrewd business move. For a young company that has raised $14 million in pre-Series A funding, attracting such a high-caliber board lends immense credibility. It serves as a powerful signal to potential investors, pharmaceutical partners, and the broader scientific community that Pilatus’s technology is robust and its strategy is sound.

The field of immunometabolism, while still emerging, is becoming increasingly competitive. Companies like Sitryx and Arcus Biosciences are exploring the broader space, while Vigeo Therapeutics is developing VT1021, another agent that targets CD36, which has shown promise in glioblastoma. By assembling this elite advisory board, Pilatus is positioning itself as a leader in this specialized niche.

With a first-in-class drug already in the clinic, strong regulatory support from the FDA, and now the guidance of some of the brightest minds in immunology and oncology, Pilatus Biosciences is strategically positioning itself to turn a novel scientific concept into a tangible new weapon in the fight against cancer and other devastating diseases.