Skip to content
Celiac and the Beast
Celiac and the Beast

I'm just a gluten-free girl trying to survive in a world full of wheat.

  • Blog
    • Bath and Beauty
    • Food and Beverage
    • Health and Wellness
    • Housewares
    • Travel
  • About + Events
  • You Had Me At Eat Podcast
  • Gluten-Free Merch
  • Book
  • Fav Things
Celiac and the Beast

I'm just a gluten-free girl trying to survive in a world full of wheat.

Erica standing in front of a 9 Meters Biopharma poster at American College of Gastroenterology conference 2021

Celiac Disease Clinical Trials and Celiac Disease Research Studies

Erica Dermer, January 2, 2022May 8, 2026

I’ve written about the importance of clinical trials in celiac disease research before. Clinical trials are absolutely necessary for the future of celiac disease research and the future of pharmaceutical developments. Several pharmaceutical companies are in late-stage clinical trials that are in need of people with celiac disease to participate. We all need your help.

Please see if you’re eligible for any of the following clinical trials near you!

Photo of Erica Dermer standing in front of a clinical trial poster at Digestive Disease Week
Photo of me at Digestive Disease Week 2021 investigating the newest clinical trials available.

DONQ52 – The Daisy Trial

If you are a careful follower of Celiac and the Beast socials, you know that I’ve talked about DONQ52 before! It’s SO exciting, and I’m happy to be partnering with an organization to help recruit for this trial. I am stoked y’all! I actually applied to be a part of it as well!

This Phase II study is evaluating DONQ52, an investigational medication designed to block the body’s immune response to gluten in patients with celiac disease who continue to experience symptoms despite following a gluten-free diet.

Participants will continue their gluten-free diet while taking small, controlled amounts of gluten to simulate real-world exposure.


Key Study Details

Time Commitment

  • ~8–12 months total participation
  • Every 2 weeks initially, then every 4 weeks for ~6 months

Treatment

  • Subcutaneous injection (abdomen, thigh, or upper arm)
  • Oral capsules taken 3x/week (may contain small amounts of gluten or be gluten-free)

Visits & Procedures

  • ~12 site visits
  • 2 endoscopies with biopsy (start and end)

Compensation

  • $200 per visit (paid on-site)
  • $375 per biopsy
  • Travel reimbursement may be available and or provided

Key Eligibility (subject to change, study amendments often happen to include more patients)

  • Diagnosed celiac disease with intestinal damage
  • Ongoing symptoms despite gluten-free diet (≥1 year)
  • Ages 18–75
  • Not pregnant or breastfeeding
  • No recent blood donation (within 8 weeks)

Important Study Notes

  • Randomized study (participants may receive placebo)
  • All study-related care and medication are provided at no cost
  • Participants are closely monitored by the study team

SIGN UP TO BE SCREENED FOR THE DAISY STUDY

Additional Celiac Disease Clinical Trials

Avalon Clinical Trial

What is AVALON? AVALON is a phase 1 clinical trial that aims to assess the safety and tolerability of the investigational drug VTP-1000 in adults with celiac disease.

What is the goal of VTP-1000? VTP-1000 is designed to prevent or reduce celiac disease symptoms caused by accidental gluten exposure. The goal of this investigational targeted immunotherapy is to train the immune system to tolerate gluten while preserving its overall protective function.

Who can participate? You may qualify to participate if:
You are 18-70 years old and a US resident
You have celiac disease confirmed by biopsy within the past 20 years
You have been on a gluten-free diet for 12+ months

Compensation: Compensation for your time and travel may be available to help make your participation as convenient as possible.

Now enrolling in:

  • Glendale, CA
  • Colorado Springs, CO
  • Jacksonville, FL
  • St. Petersburg, FL
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Rochester, MN
  • Clinton Township, MI
  • Wyoming, MI
  • Raleigh, NC
  • New York, NY
  • Nashville, TN
  • Austin, TX
  • West Jordan, UT
  • Richmond, VA
  • Seattle, WA

Visit iCureCeliac.org to learn more about this clinical trial. Registration is required on their iQualify platform.

Pay It Forward

I can’t stress how important clinical trials for celiac diseases are to those who have celiac disease – not only for this generation, but the next. Help contribute to celiac disease research and pay it forward to the next generation!

Please note that I am compensated for sharing about some of these clinical trials. But this is something I believe in, as we cannot move forward in finding a cure, or at least a pharmaceutical intervention, without patients who are a part of the various stages of clinical trials.

Health and Wellness celiac diseaseceliac disease researchCeliac Researchresearch

Post navigation

Previous post

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe
Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.
Thank you for subscribing!

Bread SRSLY Gluten-Free Sourdough


©2026 Celiac and the Beast | WordPress Theme by SuperbThemes