(Sharecast News) - Drugmaker GSK said on Tuesday that its linerixibat candidate had shown "positive" Phase III results in cholestatic pruritus in primary biliary cholangitis.

GSK said the GLISTEN Phase III trial of linerixibat, an investigational targeted inhibitor of the ileal bile acid transporter in adults with a "relentless itch" associated with a rare autoimmune liver disease, had met its primary endpoint, with a "statistically significant improvement" in itch over 24 weeks compared with placebo.

The London-listed firm highlighted that linerixibat now has the potential to be the first global therapy indicated to treat itch in primary biliary cholangitis.

GSK's Kaivan Khavandi said: "Linerixibat has the potential to be the first global therapy specifically developed to treat itch in PBC. These positive data suggest that it could have a place in supporting patients whose quality of life is significantly affected in multiple ways by persistent itching."

As of 0920 GMT, GSK shares were down 0.31% at 1,306.0p.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com