Belgian biotech group Galapagos said its experimental drug to treat bowel disease ulcerative colitis had failed to prove its efficacy in a medical trial and it would discontinue the program for that disease.

While the drug GLPG1205 was well tolerated, Galapagos said it did not perform better than the placebo given to another group of patients.

"Galapagos will evaluate whether GLPG1205 will be developed in alternative indications," the group said.

(Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek; editing by Philip Blenkinsop)