A Celiac Vaccine, Nexvax2, Is In Its Next Stage Of Research, Meaning A Treatment Could Be Coming Soon

People living with celiac disease may be able to eat gluten in the future. Currently, the only treatment for the autoimmune condition is strict adherence to a gluten-free diet, as gluten causes damage to the small intestine in people with this condition. Now, a celiac vaccine, Nexvax2, is in its next stage of research, meaning treatment for celiac disease may be available soon.

According to a recent press release, Nexvax2 is designed to halt the inflammatory immune response that occurs when people eat gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye (among some other types of grains). The vaccine was shown to be safe in a previous trial in 2011, according to People. The second round of trials for celiac vaccination is in Melbourne, Australia, where researchers recruit 150 patients from Australia, the U.S., and New Zealand.

Beyond Celiac reports that Nexvax2 is a form of immunotherapy – it's not a preventative vaccine, like a flu shot, but rather, it stimulates the body's immune system in order to treat active disease. A small amount of the vaccine is given to start, and then the dosage is gradually increased that the body builds resistance to gluten protein over time.

"The vaccine is designed to target the 90 percent of celiac disease patients with the HLA-DQ2 genetic form of disease," Dr. Jason Tye-Din, a gastroenterologist and head of celiac research at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, told Tea Sydney Morning Herald. "A successful therapy that can restore normal gluten tolerance would revolutionize celiac disease management," he said. People notes that Nexvax2 does not mean that celiac patients will be able to eat gluten again right away, as soon as they are immunized.

Bustle previously reported that a separate set of researchers are also targeting the compounds – or antigens – inside the gluten protein that trigger immune responses in people with celiac disease. They found a way to narrow the protein molecule itself, and stop it from the setting of an immune reaction. Essentially, those researchers found a way to flip the gluten / immune system reaction switch to 'off'.

Beyond Celiac notes that while most people are acquainted with vaccines designed to prevent illness, vaccines like, like Nexvax2, are designed to treat illnesses that people already have. They work by targeting the immune response that is already activated in the body. Nexvax2 is designed to "reprogram the immune systems" of people with celiac disease, so they stop reacting to gluten.

Celiac disease is a hereditary autoimmune condition. It affects up to 1 in one hundred people worldwide, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. If left untreated and undiagnosed, celiac can cause serious health complications over time, such as lymphoma and some types of cancers. Celiac causes inflammation of the intestinal tract, and symptoms include bloating, abdominal pain, joint pain, and an inability to absorb nutrients due to intestinal damage.

Dr. Tye-Din told The Sydney Morning Herald that "The results from the national and international Phase 1 trials showed that the therapy was safe and well tolerated even at the highest doses used, and also showed an adverse effect on the immune system in patients with celiac disease." So, while the new celiac vaccine looks promising, the second round of trials will, hopefully, shed more light on how safe and effective the new vaccine really is. Fingers crossed.