Gluten free no more; new drug raises hopes of celiac cure

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Gluten, Celiac Disease

It could completely banish all symptoms of gluten intolerance typical of patients suffering from Celiac Disease

A new medication could lessen or even completely eliminate symptoms of celiac disease when taken together with gluten-containing foods

The drug developed by researchers at TU Wien, Vienna University of Technology can change the lives of millions of patients of celiac disease across the world.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder caused by hypersensitivity to gluten. Gluten (meaning glue in latin) is a protein found in many cereals like wheat, barley or rye. Gluten intake leads to the damage of intestinal lining leading to decreased absorption of nutrients causing diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, stomach pain or bloating and anemia, and can also lead to other serious complications.

Celiac disease is suspected to be more prevalent in north India as wheat forms the main staple food here. Diagnosis rate of celiac disease is as low as 5% in India

Celiac is a genetic disorder that runs in families. Worldwide, about 1% of the population is estimated to suffer from it. The disease is suspected to be more prevalent in north India as wheat forms the main staple food in this region. Diagnosis rate of celiac disease is as low as 5% in India. Dietary change in the form of “gluten-free diet” is the only known treatment for this condition.

Previous studies have proposed drugs that interfere with the immune system but researchers have now created a simple medication that directly attacks gluten molecules to render them harmless.

“Our bodies produce antibodies that fight invading antigens precisely, like a key to a lock. This immune response makes these antigens harmless,” explains Professor Oliver Spadiut, head of the Integrated Bioprocess Development Research Group at TU Wien. “If a new antibody fragment is found and produced that docks to and blocks the invading gluten molecule without triggering the immune system, the symptoms of celiac disease can be suppressed.”

The aim of this research was therefore to produce a complex of two such antibody fragments that envelop the gluten molecule at a molecular level, so that it can no longer have any further effects in the intestines.

“It will be a preparation that celiac patients can take together with gluten-containing foods to alleviate coeliac symptoms,” added Oliver Spadiut. The product could be available in pharmacies as early as 2021.