VISTAS Trial for Itch Update
Trial Update
28-Week Results from the VISTAS Study on Volixibat
Dr Deepak Joshi presented VISTAS results at the British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL) Annual Meeting in Newport last week.
We caught up with Dr Joshi after his presentation. The VISTAS findings are encouraging. He highlighted that:
- the 28-week data showed a clear improvement in itching for those taking volixibat compared to placebo (the inactive, dummy drug in the trial).
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the improvement in itch was observed as early as two weeks into treatment and continued throughout the 28-week evaluation period.
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participants experienced reduced sleep disturbance, contributing directly to an improved daily quality of life.
Safety and Side Effect Profile
The main side effect reported in the trial was diarrhoea, which clinicians noted as manageable.
Interestingly, in our recent global survey of over 1,000 respondents conducted over two weeks, around 7 out of 10 people who experienced itch indicated they would accept mild/moderate diarrhoea (manageable with meds/ planning) as a trade-off for effective, symptom relief. Further evaluation will determine whether long-term use of volixibat impacts inflammatory bowel disease symptoms.
What’s Next?
Collection of longer-term trial data is underway. Dr Joshi anticipated further updates towards the end of the year.