A Night Out with AT-1001

For people with celiac disease, a new medication may end the fear of dining out. Alba Therapeutics is working on testing AT-1001, a pill which is intended to be taken before a meal to prevent the symptoms of the disease. A person with celiac disease has increased intestinal permeability, which is believed to be cause by a malfunction in the release of the chemical zonulin. This chemical which controls the cellular “gates” that keep gluten from passing from the intestine into the bloodstream. When it does not work properly, too much gluten gets into the blood, causing an immune reaction. AT-1001 prevents the release of zonulin, thereby minimizing the amount of gluten that passes through the intestinal wall. A study compared the effects to AT-1001 to those of a placebo and found that those who took no AT-1001 showed no increase in intestinal permeability, whereas those in the control group demonstrated a 70% increased in intestinal permeability. AT-1001 has been fast-tracked by the FDA. WKRG.com, August 21, 2008
2008-08-24 16:36:06