First drugs to treat celiac disease should be available within 4 to 6 years

[Waverunner]

I know, this sounds like a long time but it is better than nothing. There are two main drug candidates which come to mind when we think about working celiac treatments, which hopefully can be used for other diseases as well (IBD, IBS, allergies, etc.). The first is called larazotide acetate and just finished phase 2b. What I find most interesting about this drug and the company is their whole new approach. They focus on drugs which decrease or increase intestinal permeability. Decreasing permeability could be a key to reach a balance between the body and its environment. Alba Therapeutics pipeline can be seen here:

http://www.albatherapeutics.com/Portals/0/pipeline.pdf

The second treatment is called Nexvax2. "Nexvax2® has been designed for celiac disease associated HLA DQ2, present in 90% of individuals with celiac disease (ref. 6–8). Nexvax2® encompasses three peptides that account for a substantial proportion of the T-cell reaction to gluten in patients with HLA DQ2-associated celiac disease. ImmusanT’s scientists converted these peptides into a pharmaceutical agent, Nexvax2®. In laboratory studies, Nexvax2® is capable of inducing immune tolerance to gluten. ImmusanT is in clinical trials testing whether Nexvax2® induces immune tolerance to gluten and protects the intestine from the damaging effects of gluten." It just finished phase I and therefore has still a long way to go but it is also a very interesting approach.

http://www.immusant.com/technology/

What I truly hope is, that new approaches become available for patients.

 

[xchocoholic]

Tx. The immusant link had some other great studies too. Tc. X

 

[Aileen]

The first is called larazotide acetate and just finished phase 2b. What I find most interesting about this drug and the company is their whole new approach. They focus on drugs which decrease or increase intestinal permeability. Decreasing permeability could be a key to reach a balance between the body and its environment. Alba Therapeutics pipeline can be seen here:

Very interesting indeed. This approach could potentially be quite promising. If they could come up with a way to tighten or loosen the barrier, this could be used in conjunction with other drugs to get them to the intended target in the body. That could be the difference between a drug working or not, or causing side effects or not.

One thing scares me though. Under the category of "Permeability Inducers" was "AT 1004 Vaccine Adjuvants". The idea of increased permeability + vaccine is not a place I really want to go.

The second treatment is called Nexvax2. "Nexvax2® has been designed for celiac disease associated HLA DQ2, present in 90% of individuals with celiac disease (ref. 6–8). Nexvax2® encompasses three peptides that account for a substantial proportion of the T-cell reaction to gluten in patients with HLA DQ2-associated celiac disease. ImmusanT’s scientists converted these peptides into a pharmaceutical agent, Nexvax2®.

http://www.immusant.com/technology/
What I truly hope is, that new approaches become available for patients.

The immunsant website states that "ImmusanT is an early stage biotechnology company focused on developing a treatment, and a set of diagnostic and monitoring tools to manage patients with celiac disease.

What I am noticing is that we are getting original thinking and fresh approaches from companies that are focused on one or a very small group of related illnesses. Perhaps we need more of that.

There is the potential problem of everyone doing their own little thing and missing the big picture with this type of approach. This could easily be solved though.

Conferences where these companies get together and explain their approaches, and problems, to each other would allow them to see common issues. Since they would all be working on different illnesses, the issue of competition should not stand in the way for most information.

 

[shah78]

Why would anyone want to take a drug (side effects) in order to eat a useless substance like wheat?.I don't understand why this is important. I have issues with sulfur. I wouldn't think of taking a "drug" in order to be able to eat spinach/onions/garlic and those are lot more nutritious than wheat. I just AVOID sulfur.

 

[Aileen]

You make a good point. But, what I am thinking of when I see that is the general approach they are taking and how it can be applied to other illnesses. Immune system illnesses where your body is attacking something that is part of you that it shouldn't. Not a food or something easily avoidable.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I have celiac and will never eat gluten again even if a great barrier is increased. There's still a risk I would reject the gluten, not a risk I'm willing to take. I don't miss gluten, bread, etc. I miss milk.

 

[xchocoholic]

I'd like something that would help with gluten cross contamination. Gluten is everywhere (grocery stores, restaurants, shopping centers, hospitals, etc etc) right now and impossible to completely avoid. Unless you want to wear gloves, it's impossible to avoid touching shopping carts in grocery stores where they hand out gluten filled samples.

I'd never risk eating it again.

Btw the gluten that celiacs react to is found in wheat, barley and rye. I've read that celiacs may be reacting to other forms of gluten too but never took the time to research it. Wheat, barley and rye are the grains most celiacs are told to avoid.

Tc ... x

 

[Waverunner]

Why would anyone want to take a drug (side effects) in order to eat a useless substance like wheat?.I don't understand why this is important. I have issues with sulfur. I wouldn't think of taking a "drug" in order to be able to eat spinach/onions/garlic and those are lot more nutritious than wheat. I just AVOID sulfur.

Many people who have problems with gluten also have problems with many other foods. Studies confirmed, that just because celiac disease patients went on a gluten free diet, their immune system and gut never went back to normal. Everybody has to decide on his/her own if he/she wants to try a treatment for gluten caused disease. Not being able to tolerate gluten is not normal, that is for sure.

 

[shah78]

I'm not so sure any human being can" really" eat gluten. Well they can eat it , but can they eat it and remain unscathed. I feel there may be a universal sliding scale of "abuse". Being able to tolerate gluten is not normal .

 

[xchocoholic]

I'm not so sure any human being can" really" eat gluten. Well they can eat it , but can they eat it and remain unscathed. I feel there may be a universal sliding scale of "abuse". Being able to tolerate gluten is not normal .

I wonder about this too. Humans can tolerate all kinds of toxins but that doesn't make them non toxic. Tc .. x

 

[melihtas]

I live in Turkey and here consumption of food made from wheat flour per capita must be the highest in the world. However, celiac and autoimmune diseases are much less common than the developed countries.

I think folic acid fortification which is mandatory in developed countries is more harmfull than gluten in wheat flour.

 

[xchocoholic]

I live in Turkey and here consumption of food made from wheat flour per capita must be the highest in the world. However, celiac and autoimmune diseases are much less common than the developed countries.

I think folic acid fortification which is mandatory in developed countries is more harmfull than gluten in wheat flour.

It's genetic too tho. How prevalent are the celiac genes in Turkey ?

 

[melihtas]

It's genetic too tho. How prevalent are the celiac genes in Turkey ?

I don't know but I haven't seen any celiac-free restaurant around so it must be low.

I haven't seen anyone with cfs/me in Turkey either in person or online and doctors say there are very few. Folic acid fortification is not mandatory in Turkey but one doctor told me that I need to take vitamin b complex with folic acid when I was teenager. I took a lot of folic acid over the years before I got ME because doctors used to say that you cannot overdose vitamin b since it is water soluble and your body eliminates it easily.

Folic acid fortification is mandatory and multivitamin consumption is higher due to higher income and autoimmune rates also higher in developed countries. That is why I think folic acid plays a key role in autoimmune diseases.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I have Celiac. I don't understand the whole "let's not eat gluten fad." How many people are walking around who eat gluten, live in Italy and ARE FINE???!!!!! Lot's. I don't think you can generalize and blame gluten for all that is going on. I think this fad is just that. There are a lot of people who give up gluten and feel no difference. It's just like years ago, they said drinking milk would coat the stomach and stop gastritis....are you kidding me? Drinking milk causes gastritis and mucus. Not wise.

I don't miss bread, but I miss pizza. I love pizza. If I was well and didn't have CFS or Celiac, I would be all over it. And....I have Celiac and no one else and I mean no one else has it in my family. No one else has CVID either and that is genetic....so...there is a whole lot of mystery going on here.

Having said that...I think if you have CFS or an auto-immune disease...give it up. IF you notice a difference awesome! If not....why give it up?

 

[xchocoholic]

I don't know but I haven't seen any celiac-free restaurant around so it must be low.

I haven't seen anyone with cfs/me in Turkey either in person or online and doctors say there are very few. Folic acid fortification is not mandatory in Turkey but one doctor told me that I need to take vitamin b complex with folic acid when I was teenager. I took a lot of folic acid over the years before I got ME because doctors used to say that you cannot overdose vitamin b since it is water soluble and your body eliminates it easily.

Folic acid fortification is mandatory and multivitamin consumption is higher due to higher income and autoimmune rates also higher in developed countries. That is why I think folic acid plays a key role in autoimmune diseases.

If you google celiac rates by country you'll see studies on this.

Celiac disease isn't new so there's plenty of info on it. Between googling celiac and gluten sensitivity you should be able to find answers to all of your gluten questions. Tc .. x

 

[melihtas]

If you google celiac rates by country you'll see studies on this.

Celiac disease isn't new so there's plenty of info on it. Between googling celiac and gluten sensitivity you should be able to find answers to all of your gluten questions. Tc .. x

I tried a lot of things to recover from ME and one of them was a gluten-free diet. About 4 years ago I took York Test (food intolerance test with questionable accuracy). According to the results, my strongest intolerance was to gluten followed by milk, eggs, onion, carrot and a lot of minor intolerances to other food. I eliminated those food for 6 months, it was a very strict diet, I was already house-bound so I did not eat out and I made sure my food was not contaminated with gluten.

During that 6 months my ibs was alleviated and that was the only positive thing. My ME is slow onset, it kept getting worse over 15 years and it deteriorated faster during gluten-free diet. I think it was caused by inadequate amount of carbohydrate which can be easily converted into energy. Of course everone's metabolism is different, that was my experience with gluten.

 

[xchocoholic]

According to Dr Hadjivassilou, 6 months isn't a long enough trial.
Back in 2006 when I found his gluten ataxia info on the web, he recommended that his patients strictly avoid gluten for a minimum of 1 year.

In my limited experience as a celiac, I've met several celiacs who said it took them 2-3 years to feel better. And some, like me, never fully recover. Most of my cfs symptoms are from foods and chemicals and avoiding these triggers makes me feel better.

Carbs are found in multiple whole foods. Tc.. x

 

[boohealth]

Why would you want to take a drug, since drugs are inevitably toxic more or less, when you can just avoid gluten? I simply don't get it. Especially with all the gluten free foods out there.

 

[amybacks]

There is a herbal product available to treat people with celiac disease and allow an unrestricted diet. It was studied a few years ago and showed great statistical results...

Website: http://www.thewisealternative.com/gluten-sensitivity-formula/

 

[boohealth]

Many people who have problems with gluten also have problems with many other foods. Studies confirmed, that just because celiac disease patients went on a gluten free diet, their immune system and gut never went back to normal. Everybody has to decide on his/her own if he/she wants to try a treatment for gluten caused disease. Not being able to tolerate gluten is not normal, that is for sure.

Frankly, they were probably simply still being exposed to gluten. There is gluten in gluten-free foods. Just not "enough" by federal standards. there is gluten in medicines. Etc. You have to make everything from scratch.