Could a dose of hookworms provide a medication-free alternative to people with inflammatory bowel disease? The Malaghan Institute’s Hookworm Therapy team, who recently published the results from their year-long clinical study, think it’s possible. Published in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, the feasibility study found that hookworms were a safe and long-lasting treatment for participants with ulcerative colitis—paving the way for wider clinical studies.

The Malaghan Institute has been exploring the potential therapeutic benefits of human hookworms for patients suffering allergic and inflammatory disease for a number of years. This current study was the first of its kind to investigate whether hookworms could offer a medication-free alternative for patients living with ulcerative colitis to manage their disease.

“This pilot study is the first controlled evidence in the use of hookworm as a therapy in ulcerative colitis,” says Malaghan Institute clinician and gastroenterologist Dr. Tom Mules who led the study alongside Rutherford Clinic gastroenterologist Dr. Stephen Inns. “Our study has shown this kind of therapy is well-tolerated, safe and feasible to take into a full-scale trial.”

In this pilot randomized controlled trial, patients currently in remission from ulcerative colitis were infected with a controlled dose of hookworm larvae or given placebo, and followed up over twelve months. Patients would provide regular feedback on any changes to their gut health or discomfort. Samples were collected throughout the year-long infection to test a range of scientific parameters such as gut inflammation, microbiome and immune cell composition.

“We deliberately chose to target patients with ulcerative colitis in remission,” says Dr. Mules. (Read more from “‘Infect and Forget’: A Dose of Hookworms Could Help Patients Manage Inflammatory Bowel Disease” HERE)

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