by Annette Pinder 

For millions of people with celiac disease, a strict gluten-free diet has long been the only treatment. Now, advances in diagnosis and a growing number of clinical trials in humans are raising hopes that medications may eventually offer another layer of protection. 

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, triggers an immune response that damages the lining of the small intestine. Symptoms vary widely and may include diarrhea, bloating, abdominal pain, fatigue, anemia, headaches, and nutrient deficiencies. Some people have few noticeable digestive symptoms despite intestinal damage. There is currently no FDA-approved medication for celiac disease, and a lifelong gluten-free diet remains essential. Even people who are extremely careful, however, can still encounter gluten through cross-contact, restaurant meals, medications, supplements, or unexpected food ingredients. 

Encouraging Results from a Human Trial

In September 2026, Teva Pharmaceuticals announced positive results from a Phase 2a clinical trial of TEV ’408, an experimental monoclonal antibody. TEV ’408 blocks interleukin-15 (IL-15), an immune protein that drives the inflammatory response that damages the intestine in celiac disease. The randomized, placebo-controlled study included 50 adults with well-controlled celiac disease. Participants received a single injection of TEV ’408 or placebo, followed by a medically supervised six-week gluten challenge. Those receiving TEV ’408 had significantly less gluten-induced intestinal damage and inflammation than those receiving placebo. They also reported fewer gastrointestinal symptoms. The treatment was well tolerated, with no new safety concerns identified to date. The findings are encouraging, but this was a small, early-stage trial. Larger, longer-term studies will be needed before researchers know whether the treatment is safe and effective enough for widespread use.

More Treatments in the Pipeline

TEV ’408 is part of a broader effort to develop treatments for celiac disease. Other human trials are investigating drugs that interrupt different parts of the immune response, strengthen protection against gluten-induced intestinal injury, or potentially teach the immune system to tolerate gluten. Researchers are also studying oral therapies that block enzymes involved in the body’s damaging response to gluten, as well as enzymes designed to break down gluten before it reaches the small intestine.  

Diagnosis is evolving, too. Updated European guidelines now conditionally allow certain adults under age 45 with extremely high levels of celiac-specific antibodies to be diagnosed without an intestinal biopsy, provided strict criteria are met and blood tests are confirmed. This approach has not replaced traditional U.S. diagnostic practices. For now, people with celiac disease should continue following a medically recommended gluten-free diet and should not start one before being properly tested, since eliminating gluten can interfere with diagnostic results. 

None of the experimental medications mean that people with celiac disease will soon be able to eat gluten freely. But treatments that protect against accidental exposure, reduce intestinal damage, or make the disease easier to manage would be an important advance. After decades with only one treatment option, that news is welcome.