[Drug therapy in coeliac disease - "from bench to bedside"].

Coeliac disease is one of the most common diseases worldwide, with an estimated global prevalence of 0.5 - 1 %. The disease is triggered by a combination of environmental (gluten proteins from wheat, rye or barley) and genetic factors (mainly the human leucocyte antigens HLA-DQ2 or -DQ8). At present, a strict gluten-free diet (GFD) represents the only treatment option. However, strict adherence to a GFD is challenging, since even highly motivated patients may be subject to inadvertent or background exposure to gluten. Thus, rigorous avoidance of gluten necessitates extensive constraint of patients' food choices and social interactions. Moreover, even in fully adherent patients, a GFD may fail to induce clinical or histological normalisation. New (adjunctive) non-dietary therapeutic strategies for patients with coeliac disease are therefore of great interest. In this review, on the basis of the current understanding of its pathophysiology, we examine and discuss novel pharmacological approaches for the treatment of coeliac disease.