On September 2nd, 2026, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries announced positive topline results from a Phase 2a clinical trial of TEV ’408, an investigational drug designed to block interleukin-15 (IL-15). IL-15 acts like an alarm signal that helps activate immune cells when a person with celiac disease consumes gluten, which contributes to inflammation and damage in the small intestine. TEV ’408 is designed to block that signal, potentially calming the harmful immune response and protecting the intestinal lining from gluten-induced damage.
The randomized, placebo-controlled study included 50 adults with celiac disease. Participants received a single dose of TEV ’408 or placebo and then completed a six-week gluten challenge under medical supervision. At eight weeks, participants who received TEV ’408 had significantly less gluten-induced intestinal damage and inflammation than those who received placebo. The treatment group also reported lower gastrointestinal symptom scores.
The Celiac Disease Foundation played an important role in helping recruit participants for this study, connecting people in the celiac community with an opportunity to contribute to research that could advance new treatment options.
“The results from this study are an encouraging sign that we are getting closer to discovering therapies outside of the gluten-free diet. We are grateful to the patients who participated in this study and to everyone in our community who continues to help advance celiac disease research,” said Marilyn Geller, CEO of the Celiac Disease Foundation.
These results are an important step forward, but TEV ’408 is still investigational and is not an approved treatment for celiac disease. More research is needed to understand its safety and effectiveness in larger and longer clinical trials. The Foundation will continue to follow developments in TEV ’408 and other potential celiac disease treatments and share updates with the community as more data become available.