Beyond Celiac Chosen as Exclusive Patient Organization to Recruit for First-Ever Phase 3 Clinical Trial

Beyond Celiac, the leading catalyst for a celiac disease cure in the United States, today announced it has been chosen by 9 Meters Biopharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: NMTR) as the exclusive patient organization to recruit for the first-ever Phase 3-stage clinical trial therapeutic for treatment of celiac disease. Beyond Celiac will use its unrivaled connection to the celiac disease community and its powerful online patient database to recruit participants for the study of larazotide acetate, which aims to address leaky gut in celiac disease.

“This is the furthest a celiac disease clinical trial has gone, and it’s an exciting opportunity for our organization to play a vital role in fulfilling its promise.”

“We really listen to our community’s wants and needs. Because of our extensive connection to the people and commitment to connecting researchers with our community, Beyond Celiac has become the partner of choice for leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies such as 9 Meters,” said Beyond Celiac CEO Alice Bast. “This is the furthest a celiac disease clinical trial has gone, and it’s an exciting opportunity for our organization to play a vital role in fulfilling its promise.”

9 Meters Biopharma is evaluating larazotide acetate for celiac disease patients who continue to experience gastrointestinal symptoms while following a gluten-free diet. Designed to tighten junctions between intestinal cells, larazotide acetate would act like shoelaces to help restore leaky junctions to a normal state and would be used in addition to the gluten-free diet. It is being tested at more than 100 clinical sites, with a goal of 525 study participants. Results are expected by the end of 2021.

“Beyond Celiac is going to help us across the finish line in developing the effective treatments that celiac patients deserve.”

By partnering with Beyond Celiac for recruitment, 9 Meters Biopharma now has access to the power of Go Beyond Celiac, a secure online patient database with thousands of users who share their celiac disease stories and experiences with researchers and seek to become involved in studies.

“Our conservative estimate is that our celiac disease program is at least two years ahead of everyone else’s,” said John Temperato, president and CEO of 9 Meters Biopharma. “Beyond Celiac is going to help us across the finish line in developing the effective treatments that celiac patients deserve.”

Celiac disease is a serious genetic autoimmune disorder that affects an estimated 1 in 133 Americans, more than half of whom are still undiagnosed. The disease causes damage to the small intestine, resulting in debilitating symptoms, and if left untreated, can lead to serious long-term health problems including infertility and some types of cancer.