Lausanne: Oral enzyme therapy for celiac patients

Licensing opportunity

Scientists at Lausanne University have discovered an oral enzyme therapy for threating celiac disease, and is looking for a licensee to co-develop this product.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder. Adherence to a lifelong and strict gluten-free diet is the only existing therapy. Unfortunately, this regimen is difficult to maintain, often restricts social activities, is costly and limits nutritional diversity. Furthermore, a substantial proportion of patients with high-level gluten sensitivity are affected by trace amounts of gluten in foods that are declared gluten-free.

A realistic and effective mean to prevent symptoms would be to neutralise gluten ingested by patients suffering from celiac disease. Thus an oral medication containing enzymes able to degrade the toxic components of gluten (gliadin). However, products examined so far have a limited efficacy due to acidic conditions in the gastrointestinal tract.

The present invention relates to an enzyme composition, comprising a novel prolyl endoprotease, active at both neutral and acidic pH. The inventors have shown that in vitro, this prolyl endopeptidase, together with an exopeptidase, are able to sequentially cleave large peptides, such as gliadin, both internally and from their N-terminus. Notably, these proteases are active between pH 3.0 and 9.0.  

The discovery covers a number of proteases that are able to digest complex proteins at low and neutral pH, and which could be used to prevent celiac disorders and to ameliorate lives of celiac patients.

A patent application filed in the name of the University of Lausanne, naming as inventors M. Monod and E. Grouzmann. Additional information is available upon request.