Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic disease that slowly destroys the bile ducts in your liver. The bile ducts are small tubes that carry bile, a digestive fluid, from your liver to your gallbladder and eventually into your small intestine. In PBC, the destruction of bile ducts causes bile to build up in the liver, leading to liver damage over time.

PBC is considered an autoimmune disease, meaning the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own cells. This condition affects mostly women and generally develops between the ages of 40 and 60. Although PBC progresses slowly, it can eventually lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver failure if not managed properly.