Chugai's DONQ52 Shows Promise in Non-Clinical Research for Celiac Disease Treatment

Summary: Celiac.com 03/04/2024 - Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. has announced significant strides in the development of a potential treatment for celiac disease with their novel multi-specific antibody, DONQ52. The company recently announced that the non-clinical research results on DONQ52 have been published in Nature Communications, a prestigious multidisciplinary scientific journal. This milestone represents a significant step forward in the quest to find effective therapies for celiac disease, a condition currently without approved treatment options. DONQ52, discovered by Chugai, has shown promise in selectively inhibiting the immune response to gluten, a key component in the pathology of celiac disease. Through advanced antibody engineering technologies, DONQ52 was designed to target and neutralize multiple gluten peptides in complex with HLA-DQ2.5, a genetic marker strongly associated with celiac disease. The research findings published in Nature Communications outline the potential of DONQ52 to effectively inhibit gluten-dependent T-cell activation, a crucial step in the immune response cascade that leads to intestinal damage in celiac disease. Notably, DONQ52 demonstrated broad and selective recognition of over 25 distinct pathogenic gluten peptides, indicating its versatility and potential as a therapeutic agent. The Goal is to Develop a Therapy that can Provide Relief to Individuals Living with Celiac Disease Dr. Osamu Okuda, President and CEO of Chugai, expressed optimism about the future of DONQ52 in celiac disease treatment. He highlighted the ongoing Phase I clinical study, which aims to assess the safety and efficacy of DONQ52 in patients with celiac disease. The ultimate goal is to develop a therapy that can provide relief to individuals living with celiac disease, addressing an unmet medical need in the field. “We are very pleased to announce that that the results of basic research on a multi-specific antibody DONQ52 discovered by our company have been published in Nature Communications. Although technical hurdles have prevented practical use to date, our non-clinical study shows that specific and broad inhibition of HLA-T cell interactions is a useful therapeutical approach for celiac disease,” said Dr. Okuda. As the Phase I study progresses, Chugai remains committed to advancing the development of DONQ52 and leveraging their expertise in antibody engineering to explore new possibilities in celiac disease therapy. With continued research and innovation, DONQ52 has the potential to offer hope and improved quality of life for those affected by celiac disease. Stay tune for more on this and related stories. Read more at chugai-pharm.co.jp