Ep 83 Nexvax2 – What’s Next?
Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –
On Episode 76 of the podcast, I spoke with Kristen Kneff from ImmunsanT about the presentation she gave at The State of Celiac event held in May by the Canadian Celiac Association. Kristen’s presentation, and our subsequent interview looked at the Phase 2 trial for Nexvax2, a vaccine to minimize the effects of gluten on those with celiac disease. Recently, the trial was halted, as the vaccine was not performing as expected.
Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com brought this to my attention in an article looking at both the press release from ImmunsanT and a position piece from Dr. Peter Green. On this episode of the podcast, Ellen and I speak about what this news means for the research community as well as the impact on the celiac community.
You can read the article at the following link – http://bit.ly/Nexvax2announcement
Sue’s Websites and Social Media –
Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com
Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com
Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast
Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA
Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com
Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com
Instagram – @suesgfbaking
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL
(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)
Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com
Other Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com
My Thoughts –
My discussion with Ellen made me question if a cure for celiac disease is going to be worthwhile. Currently, we have a treatment, that is suitable for most of us. There are many companies working on “a form of a cure”. I use the term “form of a cure”, because it won’t be a cure, at least not what is currently being researched, but it will work to minimize or eliminate the harmful effects of small amounts of gluten to someone who is celiac.
I suppose it would be nice to not have to be so diligent when grazing the buffet table at a restaurant, or when eating at a friend’s home, or when sharing your kitchen with someone who eats gluten; but at what cost? The vaccine that was being studied required weeks of dosing to condition the immune system to not react so violently to small amounts of gluten. If one’s tolerance to gluten is increased, where do we stop, how do we control the “small amounts of gluten” we let in?
I can appreciate that studies and testing are on a path to answer these questions. I’m just not sure human nature is that predictable. If I spent so much time, energy and presumably money to vaccinate myself against small amounts of gluten, what would actually change for me?
As I look at this question, I realize that the failure of this study, may lead to answering more questions than originally thought. It’s fine to come up with a breakthrough in the lab, but when it’s given to patients to try, maybe it doesn’t increase their quality of life in its current format. Maybe a vaccine of this type is flawed, not by science, but by practice. ImmunsanT, and other researchers will learn a great deal as they breakdown the data from this study. They will have to go back to the drawing board, but not as far back as when they started. Likely they will have learned more about the science of immunotherapy, as well as how a cure fits into a better life for celiac patients. So far, we have an effective treatment in the gluten free diet, something we didn’t have a good handle on only a few decades ago. I can be patient for a cure – happy, heathy and patient.