Potential New Treatment May Protect Celiac Patients from Gluten-Induced Injury
Bethesda, MD (June 12, 2014) — The gluten-specific enzyme ALV003 reduces a patient’s exposure to gluten and its potential harm, according to a new phase 2 study appearing in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. This study is the first to find that a non-dietary intervention can potentially benefit celiac disease patients.
Study participants were put on an everyday gluten-free diet, challenged with up to 2 grams of gluten daily (equivalent to approximately one half of a standard slice of bread in the U.S.). Researchers found that daily oral administration of ALV003, at the time of gluten ingestion, decreased gluten-induced injury to the small intestine. The treatment appeared to be well tolerated. Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and abdominal pain, were greater in the placebo group compared with those receiving active treatment.