GSK's linerixibat shows promise for severe itch in rare liver disease

UK pharma major GSK (LSE: GSK) has unveiled full Phase III data showing its experimental drug linerixibat significantly reduced itching in people with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a rare autoimmune liver disorder. The results were presented at this year’s European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) meeting.

The late-stage trial, known as GLISTEN, involved 238 adults with moderate-to-severe cholestatic pruritus — an intense internal itching — and met its primary goal, with patients on linerixibat reporting a notable drop in itch severity over 24 weeks compared to placebo.

Linerixibat users recorded an average placebo-adjusted improvement of 0.72 points on a 10-point itch scale. Key secondary outcomes also hit the mark, with over half of those on the drug benefitting from a clinically meaningful improvement.