Good news for people who suspect a celiac disease without daring to redo a test: a new blood test would now make a reliable diagnosis without reintroducing gluten in the diet. A major advance for millions of people awaiting answers.
🍞 Why is it a revolution?
Until today, classic examinations (blood test and biopsy) were only reliable if the patient consumed gluten for several weeks before the test. This forced people who have already adopted a gluten -free diet to plunge back into digestive suffering and inflammation - a real obstacle to diagnosis.
But a team of Australian researchers from the WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) , in partnership with Novoviah Pharmaceuticals , published on June 10, 2025 in the Gastroenterology a study that changes the situation .
🧪 How does this new test work?
This innovative test is based on a very specific immune response: the detection of interleukin 2 (IL-2) in the blood after in vitro contact with gluten , without the patient having to consume it.
Concretely, the researchers take a simple blood test, then add gluten to a test tube . If the person has celiac disease, their immune system reacts by producing IL-2, a measurable signal.
📈 promising results
The performance of this test is remarkable:
- 90 % sensitivity : It correctly detects celiac disease in patients.
- 97 % specificity : it avoids false positives.
- It has even been working in strictly gluten -free people for years.
- It does not produce false positives in people with other autoimmune diseases (such as type 1 diabetes or Hashimoto thyroiditis).
💡 What it changes concretely
- painful and risky provocation tests
- Faster and accessible diagnosis , even for those who stopped gluten without medical follow -up.
- Assessment of the severity of gluten reactions , depending on the intensity of the immune response.
- Possibility of diagnosing silent forms, even without visible digestive symptoms .
🌍 Waiting for deployment in France
This test is not yet available in French analysis laboratories, because it is based on a very sensitive detection technology still reserved for research. But researchers hope for clinical implementation in the coming years , starting with specialized centers.
📚 References and sources
- Landmark Test for Coeliac Disease Promises to Take Away the Pain Of Diagnosis , Wehi & Novoviah Pharmaceuticals, published on June 10, 2025.
- Study published in the Revue Gastroenterology (2025), consulted via Wehi.org.au.
- Teacher Jason Tye-Din, responsible for the laboratory on celiac disease at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
