Posted by glutenfr | Posted in Lifestyle, News | Posted on 28-01-2010
Tags: coeliac, scientific developments
My mission: follow the progress of the experimental gluten vaccine that was developed and is being tested in Melbourne.
My incentive: the idea of scoffing into delicious spongy white carbs again.
My problem: several years of waiting as that is how long it is likely to be before the vaccine is available to the masses.
Things are underway however. The first clincal tests started last May to test the safety of the treatment – which desensitises sufferers to gluten – and to determine dosages and the like. 40 people were involved and it is meant to go for about 11 months.
If all goes well, the next phase will involve another small study to look at how effective the vaccine is against gluten intolerance. It has already been successful in mice.
Phase three would be a much larger version of phase two but would require significant funding, a potential hitch in the speed of delivery of this treatment.
Funding usually comes from pharmaceutical companies but to date, gluten intolerance and celiac disease may be rife and dangerous but diagnosis of these conditions is still very low, especially in North America, which makes the financial returns uncertain for a backer.
The upshot? Its all very exciting but don’t hold your breath. But do watch this space for updates.
MB
