About Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

PSC is a rare, debilitating progressive liver disease characterized by inflammation and fibrosis (scarring) of the bile ducts that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure and death. PSC also increases the risk of various cancers, which account for about half of PSC-related mortality. PSC affects an estimated 30,000 patients in the U.S. and about 80,000 worldwide. The underlying cause of PSC is unknown, but about 75% of patients also have inflammatory bowel disease. Liver transplantation is common in end stage disease cases, but even then, PSC re-occurs in about 20% of transplanted patients. With no approved therapies to date, there is a high unmet medical need for new drugs to address the symptoms of PSC and slow or stop the progression of this devastating illness.