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new to the gluten free journey?
The biopharmaceutical company, Alvine, recently received four patents on an enzyme degradation technology for the treatment of patients with celiac disease. Alvine is a privately held pharmacy company that specializes in the development of treatments for autoimmune and gastrointestinal disease. The drug in development is called ALV003. It is currently in phase II trials.
ALV003 is an orally administered mixture of two recombinant proteases engineered to degrade gluten into non-immunogenic peptide fragments, by targeting the glutamine and proline residues that are common in gluten. ALV003 consists of a glutamine specific cysteine protease (EP-B2) and a proline specific prolyl endopeptidase (PEP). ALV003 is being developed by Alvine as a potential treatment for patients with celiac disease.
Enzyme therapy is definitely a novel idea for treating patients with gluten sensitivity. In my own practice, I use an enzyme formulation that helps break down gluten proteins to reduce the potential risk of damage caused by cross contamination or hidden dietary gluten.
I don’t recommend using any enzyme formula as an excuse to eat gluten. Remember that even small amounts of gluten exposure can cause or perpetuate inflammatory damage in people with celiac disease of gluten sensitivities. However; using enzymes is definitely a positive approach in reducing the risk of damage.
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The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Peter Osborne, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Peter Osborne and his community. Peter Osborne encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
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6 Responses
I think my bottom line can this “New” drug be trusted? Looking at so many drugs on the market & all the recalls & damages they inflict I do not think so.
I wondered when the drugs companies would ‘cotton on’ and get in on the act. I guess they’ve noticed as the gluten free foods market has increased due to demand.
I agree with Linda Marcy…. I DEFINITELY do not think so. All drugs have unwanted side effects. If a food stuff is not good to eat then don’t eat it 🙂
While I often recommend particular digestive enzyme products to my GF patients to help mitigate any damage from accidental exposure, this just smacks of another, “take this pill and you can eat whatever you want” type of solution. Additionally, they would miss out on so many of the other benifits of a paleo diet/lifestyle, I just can’t see it as a main/major treatment option. Thanks for the post Doc!
hi i have been ceolic for 30 years it would be nice to eat normal food as it hard to get gluton free food some times so can this be true thanx sandra thompson
No way. All too often there are horrible side affects or trouble discovered years later. Why mess up my body any further thatn it already is?
It is tempting being gluten and dairy intolerant,I really miss going out to restaurants for different occasions, but I would have to say no because my diet has become so much more healthy. Taking the pill would probably lead to a much more unhealthy diet and who wants to deal with the side effects.