For decades, the gluten-free diet has been the only option for the 1 in 70 Queenslanders – over 80,000 people – living with coeliac disease.
Now, clinical trials, spearheaded by Dr James Daveson, Director of the Wesley Coeliac Disease and Immune Health Research Program and the Coral Sea Clinical Research Institute in Mackay, are rewriting the script.
This month WRI began a Phase I human trial focusing specifically on assessing the safety and effectiveness of a new intervention in individuals with coeliac disease.
The purpose of this study is to test a potential new treatment for autoimmune (conditions that involve your immune system) and inflammatory diseases (conditions that are your body’s natural immune response to illness, injury or infection). This study will also find out what effects, good or bad, this potential new treatment has on the participant and their medical condition. For more information about this study visit https://www.wesleyresearch.org.au/clinical-trial/fb102/.
“This isn’t just about bloating or diet. Untreated coeliac disease can result in increased morbidity and mortality. The gluten-free diet has been a cornerstone of treatment, like a diet in diabetes, but unlike diabetes, we don’t yet have any other treatments,” mentions Dr Daveson.
These therapies could lighten the burden of a gluten-free life and Queenslanders are at the forefront of these discoveries that have potential to help people across the globe
Dr James Daveson
Queenslanders Aidan Hirst and Jenny Mace are among the first patients in Australia to receive this treatment, sharing their experiences in a Courier Mail feature.
Their stories, featured in the Courier Mail, reflect both the challenges of coeliac disease and the hope that new therapies could transform lives.
This story was also featured on Channel 9 and Channel 10 news.
If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial or would like to learn more about the study visit https://www.wesleyresearch.org.au/clinical-trials/ or get in touch with us at coeliac@wesleyresearch.org.au.