Anti-coeliac pill shows promising data

New research findings unveiled at the recent International Coeliac Meeting in Genoa, Italy, included work on a new drug, larazotide acetete (AT-1001) which is showing great promise in human trials.

It is designed to be taken before meals and to block the toxic effect of gluten by inhibiting the production of the protein zonulin, over production of which, in the coeliac gut increases intestinal permeability and therefore a coeliac's reaction to gluten.

Further research is ongoing on a different drug which will be able to entirely dismantle gluten and on a selection of vaccines.