A new vaccine that is about to go into trial, could prevent celiac disease for good
An international trial of a vaccine to treat celiac disease is about to begin – a breakthrough that could see the end of the need for gluten-free diets.
Following the commencement of global trials led by US-based pharmaceutical company ImmusanT Inc., the Australian trials will commence at the Royal Melbourne Hospital Clinical Trials Centre in Melbourne and then roll out in other parts of the country.
Researched and developed in Australia, this international clinical trial could potentially see an end to the need for restrictive gluten-free diets. The Nexvax2 vaccine aims to change the way a celiac sufferer’s immune system responds to gluten, allowing them to consume it without causing an allergic reaction. The vaccine is developed by a US-based pharmaceutical company ImmusanT. It works similar to desensitisation therapies for allergies.
Scientists are hoping that the new vaccine will end the need for celiacs (people with celiac disease) to adhere to gluten-free diets.
If the trial is positive, it would suggest that having a normal diet is something celiacs can aim for. That’s the ultimate hope.
According to Celiac disease foundation, Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide.
When people with celiac disease eat gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley), their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine. These attacks lead to damage on the villi, small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine, that promote nutrient absorption. When the villi get damaged, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly into the body.
Celiac disease is hereditary, meaning that it runs in families.
Celiacs can become very ill if they consume gluten, which is found in wheat, oats, barley and rye. Symptoms include bloating, vomiting, stomach cramps and constipation. In more serious circumstances, it can lead to infertility, type 1 diabetes and osteoporosis.
The only treatment currently available for celiacs is to adhere strictly to a gluten-free diet, but the new vaccine shows promise to change this. Lead researcher and gastroenterologist from the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Dr Jason Tye-Din said, ‘If the trial is positive, it would suggest that having a normal diet is something celiacs can aim for. That’s the ultimate hope.’
