Changing the Natural History of Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group-A with Gene Therapy: Early Results of U.S. Phase I Study of Lentiviral-Mediated Ex-VivoFANCA Gene Insertion in Human Stem and Progenitor Cells
Authors: Czechowicz Agnieszka , Roncarolo Maria Grazia , Beard Brian C , Law Ken , Nicoletti Eileen , Río Paula , Bueren Juan A. , Schwartz Jonathan D , Soni Sandeep 
Published: November 2019

Background: Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by defective cellular deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair, associated with developmental abnormalities, progressive bone marrow failure (BMF), and a predisposition to hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. 80% of FA patients develop BMF. Although allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) is a curative treatment for BMF, its utilization and efficacy is limited by availability of suitable human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched donors, risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and transplant-related toxicities. Ex-vivo insertion of a functional FANCA gene into autologous FA-A CD34+ enriched hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) has been shown in preclinical studies to provide a survival advantage to the gene-modified stem cells, leading to correction of BMF. Feasibility of this approach was established in the FANCOLEN-1 clinical trial (Spain), although cell doses and transduction levels varied considerably. Modifications to the collection and manufacturing processes were made in the clinical studies to enhance the dose of transduced HSPCs, with the goal of preventing progression of BMF to obviate the need of an allo-HSCT.

Design and Methods: RP-L102-0418 (clinicaltrials.gov # NCT03814408) is a U.S. Phase I clinical trial evaluating the feasibility and safety of autologous CD34+ cells transduced with a lentiviral vector (LV) carrying the FANCA gene (PGK-FANCA-WPRE) in two pediatric patients with FA-A. Patients <12 years of age, with early evidence of cytopenias, but with bone marrow (BM) CD34+ count >30/µL were eligible for treatment. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected via leucocytapheresis on two consecutive days after mobilization with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and Plerixafor (Mozobil). CD34+ HSPCs were enriched, placed in culture with cytokines, and transduced with PGK-FANCA-WPRE LV. The investigational drug product (DP) (RP-L102) was infused fresh into patients within 4 hours of release, without any prior conditioning regimen. Patients are being followed for 3 years post-infusion for safety assessments (replication competent lentivirus (RCL), insertion site analysis (ISA)) and to ascertain early evidence of efficacy (increasing peripheral blood vector copy number (VCN) and BM mitomycin-C (MMC) resistance), along with stabilization/correction of cytopenias.

Results: Two FA-A patients (aged 5 and 6 years) were consented and enrolled on the study at Stanford University. Mobilization and apheresis procedures were performed successfully without any serious adverse events. DP was successfully manufactured using "Process B" optimization including transduction enhancers, commercial-grade vector, and modified cell processing. Because of higher transduced CD34+ and colony forming cell (CFC) doses, we anticipate early development of BM MMC resistance in the current study patients. Safety and efficacy data 4 to 6 months post-treatment, including peripheral blood VCN, blood counts and bone marrow MMC resistance, will be available at the time of presentation.

Conclusions: DP has been successfully manufactured in the Phase I study (N=2) to meet the required specifications.Patients are being monitored for early efficacy assessments; 6+ months of follow-up may be required to observe the proliferative advantage of transduced HSPCs.Plans for Phase II portion of the study are in progress.

Disclosures

Czechowicz: Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Research Funding. Beard:Rocket Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Law:Rocket Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Nicoletti:Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Río:Rocket Pharmaceuticals: Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding. Bueren:Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties: Inventor on patents on lentiviral vectors filled by CIEMAT, CIBERER and F.J.D and may be entitled to receive financial benefits from the licensing of such patents, Research Funding. Schwartz:Rocket Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership.