Two slices of bread a day, no gut damage: an experimental celiac shot passes its first big test

Celiac disease means the immune system attacks your own gut every time gluten shows up — for millions of people, the only treatment is a lifetime of carefully avoiding bread, pasta and anything made with wheat. First Tracks' ANB033 is an injected antibody that calms that immune attack by blocking two inflammatory signals at the root of the damage. In a small early trial of 32 patients, half got the shot and half got a placebo, then everyone ate about two slices' worth of bread a day for two weeks. The treated group kept their gut lining intact and stayed symptom-free, while the placebo group did not. The drug was well tolerated with no serious safety issues. The company aims to start a larger trial in 2027 — an early but real step toward the first-ever drug for celiac disease.