PlGF Inhibitors
5 drugsAbout PlGF
Placental growth factor (PlGF) is a protein involved in angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels. It is a key target for researchers due to its role in diseases driven by angiogenesis.
Genetic evidence offers moderate support for PlGF as a therapeutic target, with associations to acute pancreatitis (score 0.51), coronary artery disease, and skin aging. Strong eQTL/pQTL signals further support its role in disease.
PlGF is targeted by 5 FDA-approved drugs, including EYLEA, EYDENZELT, PAVBLU, ZALTRAP, and EYLEA HD, primarily fusion proteins and other biologics. These drugs span metabolic, oncology, and other therapeutic areas.
Strategic Insights
ℹ️ How we calculate- White space opportunity in Wet AMD with only 3 trials.
PlGF Genetic Evidence Moderate
Genetic evidence provides moderate support for PlGF, with a maximum score of 0.51 for acute pancreatitis.
Further research into the genetic associations of PlGF could reveal novel therapeutic opportunities.
Evidence Across Diseases
3 totalGWAS and other genetic studies link PGF to 3 diseases.
🔗 Colocalization Evidence 20 strong
max H4: 1.00eQTL/pQTL signals for PGF colocalize with these GWAS traits, providing causal evidence that gene expression changes drive disease risk.
Understanding these scores
Association Score (0-1): Combines all evidence types (genetic, literature, drugs, animal models). Higher = more evidence linking target to disease. This is a ranking heuristic, not a confidence score.
L2G Score: Open Targets uses a machine learning model (Locus-to-Gene) to predict which gene is causal at each GWAS locus. L2G=0.5 means ~50% probability of being the causal gene. Only associations with L2G > 0.05 are included.
Odds Ratio (OR): From gene burden studies (UK Biobank, AstraZeneca PheWAS). Measures how loss-of-function variants affect disease risk. OR<1 = protective (inhibiting target may help), OR>1 = risk (losing function causes disease).
Beta (β): Effect size for continuous traits. β<0 = protective, β>0 = risk.
Clinical Translation (~1.8x): Based on Nelson et al. 2015: drug targets with genetic evidence have ~2x higher success rates in clinical trials. We estimate: Strong support (score ≥0.7) → ~1.8x, Moderate (0.3-0.7) → ~1.3x, Weak → baseline.
Colocalization (H4): Tests whether a GWAS signal and an eQTL/pQTL signal share the same causal variant. H4 is the posterior probability that both traits are associated AND share a causal variant. H4 > 0.8 = strong evidence that gene expression/protein levels drive disease risk. This links genetic variation → gene expression → disease, supporting the target-disease connection.
Top PlGF Drugs
Four companies have approved drugs targeting PlGF, with Regeneron holding multiple approvals.
The presence of multiple players suggests a moderately competitive landscape with potential for new entrants.
PlGF Drug Modality Landscape
Modalities
Routes of Administration
PlGF requires biologic approaches (fusion protein), likely due to its structure or location.
Exploring small molecule or antibody approaches could offer a competitive advantage in the PlGF space.
📈 Modality Evolution
Fusion proteins pioneered PlGF targeting (2011), with other biologics entering more recently (2024).
PlGF Clinical Trials 313 trials
Completion by Phase
| Phase | Total | Completed | Failed | Active | Completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 44 | 28 | 8 | 7 | 78% |
| Phase 2 | 97 | 62 | 21 | 14 | 75% |
| Phase 3 | 96 | 60 | 13 | 23 | 82% |
| Phase 4 | 76 | 58 | 9 | 9 | 87% |
Top Sponsors
By Modality
Top Conditions
Phase 3 Readout Calendar Pro
7 Phase 3 trials testing approved PlGF drugs across all sponsors.
Coverage: trials whose intervention is an approved drug targeting PlGF. Pre-approval candidates with development codes (e.g. AZD0901, MK-7240) are not yet linked. Anchored on CT.gov primary completion date.
PlGF Drug Approval Timeline (2011 - 2025)
The first PlGF-targeting drug was approved in 2011, with the most recent approval in 2025.
The continued approvals indicate sustained interest and potential for further development in this area.
Pro Intelligence Preview
Deep insights for drug target analysis
Competitive Landscape
- • 4 companies competing
- • Market share by company
Full Drug Portfolio
- • All 5 approved drugs
- • Approval dates & indications
Genetic Validation
- • Full genetic evidence table
- • Effect sizes & directions
Approval Timeline
- • Full 5-drug timeline
- • First-of-modality markers
Clinical Trials Analysis
- • Competition: High (15 sponsors)
- • White space: 8 underexplored indications
- • Success rates by condition
Full summary • All drugs • Genetic evidence • Trials • Timeline
How We Calculate These Metrics
Target Attractiveness Score
A 0-100 score based on trial activity, sponsor diversity, and completion rates. Calculated from 225 clinical trials targeting PlGF.
Completion rate: Percentage of trials that reached their planned endpoint. Trials terminated early, withdrawn, or suspended are not counted—these often indicate safety issues, lack of efficacy, or strategic pivots.
- Highly Attractive (80+): High trial activity, many sponsors, strong completion rates
- Attractive (60-79): Good trial activity and validation
- Moderate (40-59): Moderate interest from sponsors
- Low (under 40): Limited trial activity or validation concerns
Strategic Insights
Auto-generated insights based on trial analytics including competition intensity, white space opportunities, modality shifts, and failure patterns. We analyze trial sponsors, phases, indications, and outcomes.
Risk Signals
- High Competition: Many sponsors competing for this target (may reduce market opportunity)
- High Failure Risk: Low trial completion rates suggest development challenges
- Low Validation: Limited trial activity or poor outcomes indicate uncertain viability
- White Space Available: Underexplored indications present opportunities