Currency weighs on GlaxoSmithKline first-quarter sales and earnings

LONDON (Reuters) - Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline reported a 2 percent fall in both sales and earnings in the first quarter on Wednesday as a stronger pound offset a promising start for its new shingles vaccine Shingrix.

GSK's adjusted earnings per share were 24.6 pence on sales of 7.22 billion pounds ($10.07 billion). Analysts, on average, had forecast 24.25 pence and 7.24 billion pounds, according to Thomson Reuters data.

($1 = 0.7168 pounds)

(Reporting by Ben Hirschler, editing by Louise Heavens)