Abstract
AIMS: Evaluation of safety and clinical activity of Gene-Activated ® human glucocerebrosidase (GA-GCB) as a new intravenous enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for patients with type I Gaucher disease participating in a 9 month, open-label Phase I/II clinical study.
BACKGROUND: GA-GCB is human glucocerebrosidase (GCB) produced in a well-characterized, continuous human cell line using proprietary gene activation technology. GA-GCB has an identical amino acid sequence to the naturally occurring human enzyme and contains terminal mannose residues that target the enzyme to macrophages, the primary target cells in Gaucher disease. Nine month study results of GA-GCB treatment will be presented.
METHODS: Twelve adult patients (7 females /5 males) with type I Gaucher disease with clinically significant anemia, thrombocytopenia, hepatomegaly and/or splenomegaly, were enrolled in a 9 month Phase I/II clinical trial. Patients received GA-GCB every other week for a total of 40 weeks (20 infusions). A staggered dose escalation of GA-GCB was performed in the first 3 patients: these patients received 15 U/kg at the first infusion, 30 U/kg at the second infusion, and then 60 U/kg IV every other week for a total of 20 IV infusions. The remaining 9 patients received 60 U/kg beginning with their first dose. Anti-GA-GCB antibodies were tested in all patients during the 9 months of treatment. All patients were routinely evaluated for hemoglobin, platelets, liver and spleen volumes, infusion reactions and adverse events. In addition, serum samples were analyzed for disease biomarkers: chitotriosidase and CCL18.
RESULTS: Eleven of the 12 patients who were enrolled in the trial have been treated for nine months. One patient withdrew consent after three injections for reasons not related to treatment. Dose escalation from 15 U/kg to 60 U/kg was well tolerated in the first three patients. The remaining patients received 60 U/kg every other week throughout the course of the study. Anti-GA-GCB antibody test results were negative for all patients. Mean hemoglobin and platelet values, below the normal range at baseline, improved after 9 months of GA-GCB treatment to levels consistent with the therapeutic goals for ERT in Gaucher disease (Seminars in Hematology 2004). Analysis of the liver and spleen volumes decreased following 9 months of treatment. In addition, serum chitotriosidase and CCL18 levels decreased over the 9 months of GA-GCB treatment.
CONCLUSION: ERT with GA-GCB was well tolerated and demonstrated clinical activity in well-established clinical markers in patients with type 1 Gaucher disease when administered IV every other week at 60 U/kg over 9 months.
Results suggest that GA-GCB holds promise as a new therapeutic option for ERT in Gaucher disease.
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