Clinical trial NCT02030015
Conditions: GM1 Gangliosidoses GM2 Gangliosidoses Tay-Sachs Disease Sandhoff Disease
Keywords: infantile Tay-Sachs disease juvenile Tay-Sachs disease infantile GM1 gangliosidosis juvenile GM1 gangliosidosis infantile GM2 gangliosidosis juvenile GM2 gangliosidosis Sandhoff disease gangliosidoses miglustat ketogenic diet SYNER-G regimen Syner-G Zavesca Tay-Sachs disease Tay Sachs disease
Sponsor: University of Minnesota
Start date: 2015-12-22; Completion date: 2019-07-31
Enrollment: 16 participants; Allocation: NA; Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP

Brief summary:
The investigators hypothesize that a combination therapy using miglustat and the ketogenic diet for infantile and juvenile patients with gangliosidoses will create a synergy that 1) improves overall survival for patients with infantile or juvenile gangliosidoses, and 2) improves neurodevelopmental clinical outcomes of therapy, compared to data reported in previous natural history studies. The ketogenic diet is indicated for management of seizures in patients with seizure disorders. In this study, the ketogenic diet will be used to minimize or prevent gastrointestinal side-effects of miglustat. A Sandhoff disease mouse study has shown that the ketogenic diet may also improve central nervous system response to miglustat therapy (see Denny in "Citations" list below). Patients with infantile and juvenile gangliosidoses commonly suffer from seizure disorders, and use of the ketogenic diet in these patients may therefore also improve seizure management.

Detailed description:
The infantile and juvenile forms of GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses are neurodegenerative conditions that are lethal during childhood. There are no known effective therapies available for treatment of infantile and juvenile gangliosidoses. Studies of monotherapy with miglustat for treatment of these conditions have demonstrated safety, but have not demonstrated notable clinical improvement. To date, combination therapy for the infantile and juvenile gangliosidoses has not been explored. This study will evaluate a multi-targeted combination therapy for treatment of the gangliosidoses, using FDA approved therapies that have demonstrated safety in children. It is the aim of this study to learn if combination therapy using the "Syner-G" regimen (that is, synergistic enteral regimen for treatment of the gangliosidoses) will show improvement in overall survival and clinical benefits in neurodevelopmental abilities in children with gangliosidosis diseases.

This study is planned as a 5-year longitudinal treatment study. Subjects will be started on the treatment regimen when they are enrolled in the study. Data will be collected during yearly evaluations and at completion of study. Investigators may choose to stop therapy at any time, as clinically indicated for individual patients.

The Ketogenic Diet is a special diet that contains higher amounts of fat and lower amounts of carbohydrate compared to an average diet. The purpose of this is to help reduce food-miglustat interactions. The ketogenic diet may also help in management of seizures in these patients. (The ketogenic diet has been used as an anti-seizure treatment in a variety of medical conditions for many decades.) A study in Sandhoff disease mice has shown that the ketogenic diet may also help miglustat be more effective in the central nervous system (see Denny in "Citations" list below).

Miglustat will be used to reduce the amount of ganglioside accumulation in the child's cells. Miglustat is not FDA approved for treatment of the gangliosidoses. It is FDA approved for a different inherited metabolic disease called Gaucher disease type I.

This study has been issued Investigational New Drug (IND) # 127636 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Arms: arm 1: The Syner-G therapy regimen includes switching the research subject to a full-time ketogenic diet, and daily treatment with orally-administered miglustat, for the duration of the 60-month study.
Interventions: intervention 1: miglustat intervention 2: Ketogenic Diet
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: The Syner-G therapy regimen includes treating with orally-administered miglustat for the duration of the 60-month study. intervention 2: The Syner-G therapy regimen includes switching the research subject to a full-time ketogenic diet for the 60-month duration of this study.

Protocol documents:
Prot_SAP_000.pdf: 
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Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network 
 
Synergistic Enteral Regimen for Treatment of the 
Gangliosidoses (Syner-G)  
 
Lysosomal Disease Network 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jeanine R. Jarnes, PharmD 
Phone:  612-626-5131 
Fax: 612-624-2682 
Email: utzx0002@umn.edu 
 
 
 


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Participating Institutions/Investigators Table (contact information) 
 
 
Principal Investigator: Jeanine R. Jarnes, PharmD 
Contact:  Evelyn S. Redtree, MS 
Institution: 
University of Minnesota 
Address: 
MMC 391, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 
Phone: 
612-625-0974 
Fax: 
612-624-2682 
Email: 
eredtree@umn.edu, utzx0002@umn.edu  
 
Co-Investigator: Chester B. Whitley PhD, MD 
Contact:  Brenda Diethelm-Okita, MPA 
Institution: 
University of Minnesota 
Address: 
MMC 446, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 
Phone: 
612-625-1594 
Fax: 
612-624-2682 
Email: 
dieth001@umn.edu, whitley@umn.edu  
Sub-Investigator: 
Kelly King, Ph.D. 
 
Data Management and Coordinating Center Principal Investigator: Jeffery Krischer, Ph.D. 
Contact:  Miranda Williams, MS, Research Project Manager 
Institution/ 
Department: 
Data Management and Coordinating Center (DMCC); Health Informatics Institute; 
University of South Florida 
Address: 
3650 Spectrum Blvd; Suite 100; Tampa, FL 33612 
Phone: 
813-396-9155 
Fax: 
813-910-5997 
Email: 
Miranda.Williams@epi.usf.edu  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


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Table of Contents 
 
Participating Institutions/Investigators Table 
2 
 
Protocol Synopsis 
5 
1.0 
Disease Overview 
7 
1.1  
Description of the Infantile/Juvenile Forms 
7 
1.1.2 
Neuroimaging in the Infantile/Juvenile Forms 
8 
1.1.3 
Neurodevelopmental Functioning in Infantile and Juvenile Gangliosidoses 
8 
1.1.4 
Natural History Survival Data in Infantile and Juvenile Gangliosidoses 
9 
2.0  
Description of Late-Onset or Type III Forms of Gangliosidosis Diseases 
9 
2.1 
Neuroimaging in Late-Onset Gangliosidosis 
10 
3.0 
The AB Variant of GM2 Gangliosidosis 
10 
4.0  
The B1 Variant of GM2 Gangliosidosis 
10 
5.0 
Relevant Pre-Clinical Data 
10 
5.1 
Pre-clinical Pharmacokinetic Studies of Miglustat 
10 
5.1.1 
Studies of Ketogenic Diet Combined with Miglustat in the Sandhoff Disease Mouse 
10 
6.0 
Relevant Available Clinical Data in Gangliosidoses 
11 
7.0 
Clinical Trials of Miglustat for Gangliosidoses and Relevant Clinical Studies 
11 
8.0 
Clinical Experience with Ketogenic Diet for Seizure Management 
12 
8.1 
Clinical Significance of This Study 
13 
9.0 
Clinical Experience with Ketogenic Diet at the University of Minnesota 
13 
10.0 
Investigational Agent: Miglustat 
13 
10.1 
Miglustat Description and Mechanism of Action 
13 
10.2 
Miglustat Indications 
14 
10.3 
Miglustat Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism 
14 
10.4 
Miglustat Oral Bioavailability 
14 
10.5 
Miglustat Distribution 
14 
10.6 
Miglustat Elimination 
14 
10.7 
Renal insufficiency 
14 
10.8 
Hepatic Disease 
14 
10.9 
Toxicology 
14 
10.10 
Dosing Guidelines 
15 
10.11 
Use of Miglustat in This Study 
16 
10.12 
Miglustat Dose Titration Schedule 
16 
10.13 
Dose Adjustment Guidelines 
17 
11.0 
Ketogenic Diet 
18 
11.1 
Description and Approved Uses 
18 
11.2 
Toxicities 
18 
11.3 
Use of Ketogenic Diet in This Study 
18 
11.4 
Initiation and Management of the Ketogenic Diet 
18 
11.5 
Other Parameters Being Monitored 
19 
12.0 
Study Objectives 
19 
12.1 
Primary Objective 
19 
12.2 
Secondary Objectives 
19 
13.0 
Study Design 
20 
13.1 
Overview of Study Design 
20 
13.2 
Study Population 
20 
13.3 
Sample Size 
20 
13.4 
Subject Recruitment 
21 
13.5 
Subject Screening 
21 
13.6 
Prior and Concomitant Therapy 
21 
13.7 
Inclusion Criteria 
21 
13.8 
Exclusion Criteria 
21 
13.9 
Exit/Discontinuation Criteria 
21 
14.0 
Informed Consent 
21 
15.0 
Laboratory Testing Procedures 
22 
15.1 
Other Parameters Being Monitored 
22 
16.0 
Subject Withdrawal 
22 
16.1 
How to Withdraw Subjects 
22 
16.2 
Data Collection and Follow-Up for Withdrawn Subjects 
22 


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16.3 
Subject Compensation 
22 
17.0 
Study Timetable / Schedule of Events 
23 
18.0 
Data Analysis 
24 
18.1 
Subject Populations for Analysis 
24 
18.2 
Sample Size Determination 
24 
18.3 
Statistical Analysis 
24 
18.4 
Missing Data 
25 
19.0 
Safety Monitoring 
25 
19.1 
Data and Safety Monitoring Plan 
25 
19.2 
Definitions and Standards 
26 
19.3 
Expected and Known Risks, Discomforts, or Adverse Events Associated with Study Intervention and 
Procedures: Definition of Expected Adverse Events 
26 
19.4 
Adverse Event Reporting Timeline 
27 
19.5 
RDCRN Adverse Event Data Management System (AEDAMS) 
28 
19.6 
Unanticipated Problem Reporting 
28 
20.0 
Anticipated Risks 
29 
20.1 
Anticipated Risks of Miglustat 
29 
20.2 
Miglustat Risk Mitigation 
29 
20.3 
Anticipated Risks of the Ketogenic Diet 
29 
20.4 
Risk Mitigation of the Ketogenic Diet 
29 
21.0 
Study Discontinuation 
30 
21.1 
Discontinuation rules 
30 
21.2 
Participant Discontinuation 
30 
22.0 
Data Quality and Monitoring Measures 
30 
22.1 
Missing Data 
31 
23.0 
Data Management 
31 
23.1 
Participant Registration 
31 
23.2 
Data Entry 
32 
23.3 
Data Quality Control 
32 
23.4 
Study Records Retention 
32 
23.5 
Protocol Deviations 
32 
24.0 
Human Subjects 
32 
24.1 
GCP Statement 
32 
24.2 
Risks 
32 
24.3 
Benefits 
32 
24.4 
Recruitment 
33 
24.5 
Written and Informed Consent 
33 
24.6 
Process of Consent 
33 
24.7 
Certificate of Confidentiality 
33 
25.0 
References 
34 
26.0 
Appendices and Attachments 
36 
26.1 
Informed Consent Forms 
36 
26.2 
Neuropsychological Testing Quality Control 
36 


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Protocol Synopsis 
 
Protocol Number: 
LDN 6729 
Protocol Title: 
Synergistic Enteral Regimen for Treatment of the Gangliosidoses 
(Syner-G) 
Study Chair: 
Jeanine R. Jarnes, PharmD  
Statistician: 
Kyle D. Rudser, Ph.D.  
Consortium: 
Lysosomal Disease Network  
Participating Sites: 
University of Minnesota 
Activation Date: 
02/24/2016 
Sample Size: 
A total of 30 infants or children: 
 
 
5 patients with infantile Tay-Sachs disease 
 
5 patients with juvenile Tay-Sachs disease 
 
5 patients with infantile Sandhoff disease 
 
5 patients with juvenile Sandhoff disease 
 
5 patients with infantile GM1 gangliosidosis 
 
5 patients with juvenile GM1 gangliosidosis 
Target Enrollment Period: 
Rolling enrollment of patients with infantile or juvenile 
gangliosidosis over the next five years; whenever possible, 
making one yearly visit to the University of Minnesota 
Study Design: 
Interventional study 
Therapeutic Agent: 
Miglustat 
FDA IND Status: 
IND 127636 Active 
Phase: 
Phase II 
Methodology: 
Combination enteral therapy 
Study Design: 
Single arm, open-label treatment study 
Study Duration: 
5 Years 
Primary Study Objective: 
To assess the impact of Syner-G therapy on overall survival in 
patients with infantile and juvenile forms of gangliosidosis 
Secondary Study Objective: 
To evaluate effects of Syner-G therapy in pediatric 
gangliosidoses patients on their neuro-developmental status 
Study Population and Main 
Eligibility/Exclusion Criteria: 
Study Population:  Any infant or juvenile patient with a 
gangliosidosis disease. 
 
Inclusion Criteria: 
1.) Subjects must have a documented infantile or juvenile 
gangliosidosis disease. 
2.) Age: 17 years or less at time of enrollment. 
3.) Subjects and their caregivers must work closely with their 
University of Minnesota ketogenic diet team, and with their local 
ketogenic diet team, which must include a ketogenic dietician and 
a neurologist trained in the ketogenic diet. 
 
Exclusion Criteria: 
1.) A desire to not participate. 
2.) Children with severe renal impairment will not be enrolled in 
this study. 
3.) Post-pubertal females who are pregnant, or who are unwilling 
to use highly-effective methods to prevent pregnancy, will be 
excluded from this study. 
4.) Breast-feeding females will be excluded from this study. 
5.) Subjects who have an allergy to miglustat or any of the 


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components within the drug product will be excluded from this 
study. 
Primary Outcome Measures: 
Retrospective and prospective data will be collected, that include: 
 
Overall participant survival, evaluated based on chronological age 
at time of death or at conclusion of study, whichever occurs first. 
Secondary Outcome 
Measures: 
Retrospective and prospective data will be collected, that include: 
 
The rate of change (i.e., slope) in neurocognitive functioning over 
the duration of follow-up will be determined; and will also be 
compared to available published natural history data.  This 
analysis will be conducted separately for each of the two disease 
sub-types: infantile and juvenile. The primary neurocognitive 
measure for both pediatric groups is age-equivalent scores of the 
Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development for expressive 
communication, receptive communication, fine motor skills and 
gross motor skills.  The secondary neurocognitive measure for 
both pediatric groups is standard and age-equivalent scores of 
the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales for communication, daily 
living skills, socialization and motor skills, and the Vineland 
composite standard score. 
Statistical Considerations 
(sample size and analysis 
plan): 
The sample size (number of enrolled subjects) will be large 
enough to detect trends and differences.  The primary analysis for 
Syner-G therapy will use the intention-to-treat (ITT) population 
and evaluate overall survival based on chronological patient age.  
Median survival will be compared to previously reported natural 
history studies of infantile and juvenile gangliosidoses.  For rate 
of change in neurocognitive functioning over the duration of 
follow-up, using general estimating equations (GEE) and an 
exchangeable working correlation structure, variance estimation 
for confidence intervals and p-values will take into account the 
possible correlated nature of multiple measurements on the same 
individual.  Supportive analyses will include evaluation using the 
per-protocol (PP) population.  Subgroup analyses: analyses will 
be repeated separately among the infantile and juvenile forms of 
both GM1 and GM2 gangliosidosis. 
Sponsors (federal, state, 
foundation and industry 
support): 
National Institutes of Health (NIH) 
 
 


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1.0  Disease Overview 
 
The gangliosidoses are fatal genetic conditions inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern.  
The GM2 gangliosidoses are caused by mutations to the genes that encode production of the 
lysosomal enzymes hexosaminidase A and hexosaminidase B, causing Tay-Sachs disease and 
Sandhoff disease, respectively.  Without these enzymes individuals cannot catalyze the 
biodegradation of GM2 ganglioside. 
 
The GM2 gangliosidoses disease have an estimated overall occurrence rate of 1:200,000 live 
births for Tay-Sachs disease, and 1:400,000 live births for Sandhoff disease.1   The carrier rate 
for GM2 gangliosidosis diseases in the general population is estimated to be 1:250.1,2  Among 
Ashkenazi Jews, French Canadians, and Louisiana Cajuns the incidence rate is much higher, 
with overall elevated incidence rates of 1 in 27 persons thought to be a genetic carrier for a 
GM2 gangliosidosis disease (Tay-Sachs disease and Sandhoff disease).2 
 
Before the advent of population-based carrier screening, education, and counseling programs 
for the prevention of Tay-Sachs disease in Jewish communities, the incidence of Tay-Sachs 
disease was about one in 3,600 Ashkenazi Jewish births.  Currently, due to increased screening 
and awareness, the incidence of Tay-Sachs in Ashkenazi Jews of North America has been 
reduced by greater than 90%.1,3  Although the incidence of Tay-Sachs disease has significantly 
declined in the Jewish community, the disease has been reported in children of virtually all 
ethnic, racial and religious groups.  Irish Americans have a 1 in 50 chance of a person being a 
carrier.  Sandhoff disease, unlike Tay-Sachs, occurs more commonly in non-Jewish 
populations.1,4 
 
GM1 gangliosidosis is caused by mutations to the gene that encodes β-galactosidase, leading 
to deficiency of β-galactosidase.  Without the β-galactosidase enzyme to break it down, 
ganglioside accumulates in neuronal cells and other tissues, leading to mental and physical 
deterioration.  The worldwide prevalence of GM1 gangliosidosis is estimated to be 1:100,000 to 
200,000 live births.1  In Malta and Brazil, and in the Roma and Cypriot populations, a high 
prevalence of GM1 gangliosidosis has been found.5 
 
The GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses are comprised of three major types, differentiated by age of 
onset of symptoms: infantile (Type I), late-infantile/juvenile (Type II), and late-onset, in which 
symptom onset occurs in adulthood (Type III).  The infantile form of the disease is the most 
aggressive form and has a rapid neurological decline with death early in childhood.  The juvenile 
forms involve a later-childhood onset of symptoms, with a slower neurological decline compared 
to the infantile forms, and usually result in death during adolescence.  The late-onset forms of 
gangliosidoses have a later symptom onset, with first symptom often being noted while the 
patients are in their twenties and thirties.  Late-onset forms are characterized by poor motor 
coordination and progressive weakness.  Some patients develop psychotic behaviors.  Patients 
with late-onset forms of gangliosidoses also have decreased life expectancy, albeit to a 
significantly lesser degree than those with either infantile or juvenile forms.6 
 
1.1  Description of the infantile and juvenile forms.  The classical infantile forms of these 
diseases can be described as having rapidly progressive neurologic deterioration with death 
often occurring by age three to four years old; whereas death usually occurs in later childhood in 
the juvenile form.7-9 
 


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The following neurologic signs occur approximately in the sequence listed below: 
 
Progressive hypotonia and motor weakness 
 
Poor head control 
 
Failure to turn over, crawl, or sit 
 
Eventually becoming hypertonic with exaggerated reflexes 
 
Decreasing eye contact and focusing 
 
Interacts very little with the environment, eventually becoming unresponsive to                  
exogenous stimuli and reaching vegetative state 
 
Hyperacusis initially evidenced by an exaggerated startle response to sharp sounds, 
eventually becoming unresponsive and inattentive. 
 
Seizures commonly begin after first year of life and vary in type and frequency 
 
Macrocephaly commonly develops by 1 ½ to 2 years of age due to reactive cerebral 
gliosis 
    Ocular development of cherry-red macular spots 
    Progressive visual inattention with blindness by the second year of life. 
 
1.1.2  Neuroimaging in the infantile/juvenile forms.  In the infantile forms of gangliosidoses, brain 
MRIs are characterized by abnormalities in the basal ganglia and thalamus, spreading later to 
the rest of the brain with atrophic changes.  Specific gross neuropathological characteristics of 
the phases of gangliosidoses are: in 0-14 months of illness, changes are described as moderate 
atrophy with slight decrease in brain weight, narrowing of cerebral sulci and mild ventricular 
dilatation; in 15-24 months of illness there is normal or mildly increased brain weight and 
volume, and disproportionate atrophy of cerebellum and brain stem; once illness reaches 24 
months of duration there is significant cerebral expansion with broadened and flattened surface 
convolutions, marked atrophy of cerebellum and brain stem, demyelinization, extensive edema, 
and cystic degeneration of cerebral white matter.8-10 
 
In a natural history study of 155 patients with juvenile GM2 gangliosidosis by Maegawa et al.11, 
(96 with Tay-Sachs disease, 33 with Sandhoff disease, 2 with the AB variant, and 9 patients that 
were uncharacterized), 35 of the patients had brain imaging studies.  The most common brain-
imaging finding was cerebellar atrophy and the second most common finding was cerebral 
atrophy, although cerebral atrophy and white matter changes appeared to precede cerebellar 
atrophy.11 
 
1.1.3  Neurodevelopmental functioning in infantile and juvenile gangliosidoses.  Available 
natural history data for the infantile and juvenile gangliosidoses are limited.  Natural history 
studies of infantile and juvenile GM2 gangliosidoses by Bley et al.9, Maegawa et al.11 and Smith 
et al.12 are based on surveys of child neurodevelopment.  These studies show predictable 
downward trajectory consistent with childhood dementia and catastrophic neuro-degenerative 
processes, ultimately resulting in death during childhood.9,11,12 
 
A survey based study of 316 patients with infantile GM2 gangliosidosis (survey-based data from 
92 patients, data from 103 patients in the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases patient 
advocacy group’s database, and 121 patients reported in the literature), it was noted that in 
infantile GM2 gangliosidosis, the most common onset symptoms were developmental delay, 
startle-response and hypotonia.9  Among the 92 patients surveyed, there were few differences 
noted in phenotype between infantile Tay-Sachs disease and infantile Sandhoff disease, 
although a tendency was observed for visual problems, seizures and movement abnormalities 
to occur earlier in the patients with Tay-Sachs disease.9  As the disease advanced, seizure 
management often became the primary focus of clinical care.9 


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In the study by Maegawa et al. the mean onset of symptoms in juvenile GM2 gangliosidoses 
was reported as 5.3 ± 4.1 years, with gait disturbances, incoordination, speech difficulties and 
developmental delay being the most common symptoms noted at onset.11  Neuropathy and 
psychiatric disturbances were found to be more common in patients with juvenile Sandhoff 
disease compared to juvenile Tay-Sachs disease.11  In patients with juvenile Sandhoff disease, 
sleep problems, diarrhea and constipation were observed to be more common than in the 
patients with juvenile Tay-Sachs disease.11  Dysphagia, sphincter incontinence and sleep 
problems were more common at the time of symptom onset in Tay-Sachs disease.11  But this 
study found no other statistically significant differences between the patients with juvenile Tay-
Sachs disease compared to patients with juvenile Sandhoff disease.11 
 
1.1.4  Natural history survival data in infantile and juvenile gangliosidoses.  The study by Bley et 
al. showed the median age of death in the infantile form was 47 months.9  The case histories of 
155 patients with juvenile GM2 gangliosidosis that were reviewed by Maegawa et al. were found 
to have a median survival of 14.5 years.11  Nearly half of the patients died within the first decade 
of life, and roughly 25% of the patients lived into their late teens.11  No statistically significant  
differences were found between the patients with Tay-Sachs disease and those with Sandhoff 
disease.11     
 
2.0  Description of Late-onset or Type III Forms of Gangliosidosis Diseases 
 
Late-onset hexosaminidase A deficiency (a.k.a. LOTS, the acronym for Late-Onset Tay-Sachs) 
and late-onset GM1 gangliosidosis represent a more slowly progressing neurodegeneration, 
associated with low levels of residual Hex A enzyme activity or β-galactosidase enzyme activity, 
respectively.  Early symptoms may range from muscle weakness to extrapyramidal findings to 
altered cerebellar manifestations. 
 
The age of onset in LOTS ranges from early childhood to the end of the second decade.  In the 
adult-onset forms of gangliosidosis, CNS involvement is widespread with some neurologic 
findings predominant.  In some individuals, extrapyramidal signs of dystonia and 
choreoathetosis may be evident.13,14  In others, cerebellar signs of dysarthria, ataxia, lack of 
coordination, and abnormalities of posture develop between two and twenty years of age; 
however, cognitive and verbal skills tend to be involved later in the course.13,14  Some 
individuals with adult-onset disease show progressive muscle wasting, weakness, and 
fasciculations13, upper motor neuron signs, nonspecific cerebellar atrophy7, and abnormalities of 
saccades.13,14  Movement disorders such as dystonia and dyskinesia occur in almost 50% of all 
patients.14  
 
Cognitive functioning is often noted to be normal in patients with late-onset forms of 
gangliosidoses.15  For patients with late-onset Tay-Sachs disease in whom impaired cognitive 
status was documented, the severity of the impairment ranged from mild memory deficits to 
significant global cognitive decline.15  As reported in the MacQueen et al. study of patients with 
late-onset Tay-Sachs disease, repeat testing at age 18 revealed persistent severe cognitive 
limitations in language, visuospatial abilities, psychomotor coordination, memory and executive 
functions.15  More recent studies indicated cognitive dysfunction and dementia can be observed 
in some cases but is not universally present (Frey et al. 2005).16  As many as 40% of individuals 
with late-onset Tay-Sachs disease have psychiatric manifestations (without dementia), including 
recurrent psychotic depression, bipolar symptoms and acute hebephrenic schizophrenia with 
disorganization of thought, agitation, delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia.17  Impairment of 
executive functioning, visual spatial functions, and memory (retrieval) has also been observed.  


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These neuropsychological dysfunctions could be related to cerebellar abnormalities.  
Schmahmann and Sherman have hypothesized a cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome which 
has as its core difficulty a “dysmetria of thought”, with flattened affect and lack of inhibition.18  
 
2.1  Neuroimaging in late-onset gangliosidosis.  The first description of neurologic and 
psychiatric findings in a large case series of late-onset Tay-Sachs disease reported involvement 
of upper and lower motor neurons, basal ganglia, and cerebellum, with sparing of sensory 
systems and cranial nerves.14  In Frey’s study, brain MRIs obtained in 86% of their patients 
revealed the uniform presence of marked cerebellar atrophy, regardless of disease stage.16   
Neuropsychological results in the same study indicated delayed verbal recall and problems with 
cognitive processing, visual sequencing, and set shifting; none of these patients had signs of 
significant global decline or dementia.16 
 
3.0  The AB variant of GM2 Gangliosidosis 
 
The AB variant of GM2 gangliosidosis is a rare form of GM2 gangliosidosis in which a genetic 
defect occurs in the gene that codes for the GM2 ganglioside activator protein (GM2A gene), 
rather than on the α-subunit (HEXA gene) or β-subunit (HEXB gene) of the β-hexosaminidase 
A.  The GM2 ganglioside activator protein is a co-factor for β-hexosaminidase A enzyme and is 
required for activation of β-hexosaminidase A.  Thus, in patients with the AB variant of GM2 
gangliosidosis, β-hexosaminidase A enzyme is devoid of activity.1,6 
 
4.0  The B1 Variant of GM2 Gangliosidosis 
 
The B1 variant of GM2 gangliosidosis is a form of Tay-Sachs disease in which a genetic defect 
in α-subunit of β-hexosaminidase A causes in a defect in the catalytic region of the αβ-dimer of 
β-hexosaminidase A, resulting in inhibition of the activity of the catalytic region of the αβ-dimer 
of β-hexosaminidase A and inactivity towards the GM2 ganglioside substrate.1,6,19 
 
5.0  Relevant Pre-Clinical Data 
 
5.1  Pre-clinical pharmacokinetic studies of miglustat.  A pharmacokinetic profile study of 
miglustat in healthy rats showed miglustat to be well absorbed after a single oral administration 
with an oral bioavailability of 40-60%.20  Miglustat is eliminated renally by glomerular filtration 
and active secretion.20  Hepatic clearance of miglustat was shown to be negligible.20  Miglustat 
was found to have good partitioning into most tissues evaluated, including bone marrow, lungs, 
heart, kidney, bladder, liver, stomach, and small and large intestine.20  Miglustat showed 
appreciable distribution into the rat brain tissue.20  The ratio of tissue:plasma AUC for the rat 
brain was 0.40.20  Miglustat elimination half-life in the rat plasma was approximately 5 hours, but 
was significantly longer in the brain tissue at 17 hours.20 
 
A study of miglustat by Ashe et al. in a Sandhoff mouse model showed that miglustat therapy, 
dosed at 600 mg/kg/day, resulted in a greater that 10-fold higher levels of glucocerebroside in 
the brain, the clinical significance of which is not known.21  Despite the increase in 
glucocerebroside, the Sandhoff mice treated with miglustat showed significant reduction of GM2 
ganglioside in the brain, delayed loss of coordination and motor function, and significant 
extension of lifespan (increased by 41%).21 
 
5.1.1  Studies of ketogenic diet combined with miglustat in the Sandhoff disease mouse.  A 
study in adult Sandhoff disease mice in which mice were divided into 4 groups, one group 


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receiving a  standard diet, one group receiving a standard diet and miglustat, one group 
receiving a restricted ketogenic diet, and one group receiving a restricted ketogenic diet and 
miglustat, showed the combination of a restricted ketogenic diet and miglustat resulted in a 
significant reduction of GM2 content in the forebrain and a 3.5-fold higher cortex miglustat brain 
content compared to mice receiving a standard diet and taking miglustat.22  Pharmacokinetic 
studies in mice indicate that only about 25-40% of the miglustat dose reaches the brain tissue, 
thus the 3.5-fold higher cortex concentration of miglustat, when given in combination with a 
ketogenic diet, represents a possible mechanism of synergy for potentially achieving fully 
bioavailability of miglustat to the CNS.22  Although no human studies of combination treatment 
with miglustat and ketogenic diet have been published, the ketogenic diet has demonstrated 
safety and efficacy for seizure management in children for many decades28-30 and holds 
potential for enhancing CNS bioavailability of miglustat and improving clinical outcomes in 
patients with gangliosidoses. 
 
6.0  Relevant Available Clinical Data in Gangliosidoses  
 
Results of previous clinical trials for gangliosidoses.  Currently there are no approved therapies 
to treat any of the gangliosidoses.  Studies of monotherapy with pyrimethamine and 
monotherapy with miglustat for treatment of gangliosidoses have been done and have 
demonstrated safety, but have not demonstrated notable clinical improvement. 
 
7.0  Clinical Trials of Miglustat for Gangliosidoses and Relevant Clinical Studies 
 
Miglustat is a small molecule that has partial bioavailability to the CNS after oral administration, 
and which reduces production of a number of glycosphingolipids, including GM1 and GM2 
gangliosides, through inhibition of glucosylceramide synthase in the glycosphingolipid pathway, 
and may be useful to decrease the pathological accumulation of GM1 and GM2 gangliosides.7  
Miglustat is approved in the United States, Europe, Canada, Switzerland, Turkey, Brazil, and 
Australia for treatment of adult Gaucher disease type I.  Miglustat is approved in Europe, 
Canada, Switzerland, Turkey, Brazil, and Australia for treatment of Niemann-Pick disease type 
C.7,26   
 
Studies of miglustat in infantile, juvenile and adult gangliosidoses have demonstrated safety, but 
do not show significant clinical improvement. 23-25  A study of miglustat therapy in two patients 
with infantile Tay-Sachs disease who were given miglustat for 12 months showed no adverse 
effects at a dose of 100 mg daily for 3 months (divided into 3 doses daily).23  The dose was 
doubled, increased to 200 mg daily after 3 months (divided into 3 doses daily) and this resulted 
in diarrhea and weight loss.23  Reducing the dose back to 100 mg daily resulted in resolution of 
the diarrhea and weight loss.23 The patients were continued at this lower dose during the 
remainder of the 12 months of the study.23  Notably, neither patient developed macrocephaly 
during the 12 months of treatment.23  Concentrations of miglustat in the cerebrospinal fluid 
(CSF) versus plasma varied from 1.84% to 27.3% of the concentration in the plasma.23  
Although miglustat therapy was well tolerated at 100 mg daily, the patient’s neurological 
symptoms continued to worsen and encephalic imaging studies showed worsening myelination 
patterns and brain atrophy.23  
 
In a 3-month safety and pharmacokinetic study of 11 pediatric GM2 gangliosidosis patients (5 
with infantile and with 2 juvenile Tay-Sachs disease, 1 with infantile Sandhoff disease and 3 with 
juvenile Sandhoff disease), miglustat was dosed at 30-200 mg 3 times daily.24  Patients with a 
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Patients with BSA 0.8-1.3 m2 were given 100 mg 3 times daily, and patients with BSA greater 
than 1.3 m2 were given 200 mg 3 times daily.24  Miglustat was shown to be safe and tolerable 
drug, with the most common side effect being mild to moderate diarrhea which could be 
controlled by dietary modification.24  The pharmacokinetics was found to not differ between the 
infantile and juvenile patients, and demonstrated a 2-compartmental model with terminal half-life 
of about 10 hours.24  Miglustat did not accumulate to any appreciable exent.24  
 
In a study of 30 adult patients with late-onset Tay-Sachs disease (age range 18-56 years), 20 
patients were randomized to receive miglustat 200 mg 3 times daily; and 10 patients were 
randomized to receive no miglustat for 12 months; followed by an additional 24 months in which 
all the patients were allowed to receive miglustat.25  Nineteen patients completed the 36 month 
study period (11 who were randomized to receive miglustat and 8 who were randomized to 
receive no miglustat during the first 12 months).25  This study showed safety, but no 
measureable benefits over the initial 12 month period, as well as the 36 month period.25  Studies 
of miglustat in infantile, juvenile and adult gangliosidoses have demonstrated safety, but do not 
show significant clinical improvement. 23-25 
 
8.0  Clinical Experience with Ketogenic Diet for Seizure Management 
 
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that is an established and effective non-
pharmacologic treatment for epilepsy in children.28-30  A highly restricted Ketogenic diet, or 4:1 
ketogenic diet, is often the form of the diet used for recalcitrant seizures and consists of 4 grams 
of fat to 1 gram of combination of protein and carbohydrate.28-30 
 
For patients with seizures recalcitrant to standard regimens using anti-seizure medications, the 
ketogenic diet has been shown to be effective for seizure management in many patients.27  In a 
meta-analysis of 1084 patients from 19 different centers, the ketogenic diet was shown to result 
in 16% of patients becoming seizure-free, 32% of patients experiencing a >90% reduction in 
seizures, and 56% of patients experiencing a >50% reduction in seizures.27  The ketogenic diet 
should be implemented under close clinical care of a ketogenic diet team specially trained in the 
ketogenic diet, and minimally include: a ketogenic dietitian, neurologist and pharmacist.28-30  
 
Although the ketogenic diet has not been studied clinically in gangliosidosis patients, a pre-
clinical study (described above) in adult Sandhoff disease mice (adult β-hexosaminidase 
knockout mice) shows that the ketogenic diet may be promising for the gangliosidoses for: 1) 
minimizing or reducing severity of food-drug interactions of Zavesca®; 2) reducing seizure 
activity; and 3) increasing the bioavailability of miglustat to the central nervous system.22  
 
The ketogenic diet has been safely used in children and adults for many decades.28-30  Patients 
may experience constipation with use of the ketogenic diet, especially during the initiation 
phases of the ketogenic diet.28-30  Patients should be monitored for hypoglycemia 2 to 3 times 
daily during the initiation of the ketogenic diet, more frequently during adjustments to the 
ketogenic diet, and then periodically after they are stabilized on the ketogenic diet, as deemed 
appropriate by the patient’s clinical ketogenic diet team.28-30   A rare side effect of the ketogenic 
diet is increased risk of kidney stone formation.28-30  Ketogenic diets, when properly followed, 
have not shown adverse effects on lipid profiles, but due to the higher fat content of the 
ketogenic diet, plasma lipid profiles should be monitored regularly.28-30  Some patients have 
experienced a transient increase in seizures during the initiation of the ketogenic diet.28-30  
 


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8.1  Clinical significance of this study.  To date, combination therapy for the gangliosidoses has 
not been formally studied.  Studies of monotherapy with miglustat for treatment of 
gangliosidoses have demonstrated safety, but have not demonstrated notable clinical 
improvement.  This study will evaluate combination therapy for treatment of the gangliosidoses, 
using miglustat combined with a ketogenic diet, to learn if this combination therapy approach will 
improve overall survival and clinical outcomes compared to previous trials with miglustat alone.  
 
9.0  Clinical Experience with Combination Therapy at the University of Minnesota 
 
At the University of Minnesota, the combination therapy using miglustat and the ketogenic diet 
has been tried in seventeen children with gangliosidosis diseases in a clinical care setting.  Of 
these seventeen patients, there are four patients with infantile GM1 gangliosidosis, five patients 
with juvenile GM1 gangliosidosis, four patients with infantile Tay-Sachs disease, two patients 
with juvenile Tay-Sachs disease and two patients with infantile Sandhoff disease.  The miglustat 
dose was titrated, as tolerated for gastrointestinal side effects, to achieve goal dose of 300 mg 
daily. 
 
All seventeen patients were put on a combination of ketogenic diet and miglustat.  Duration on 
therapy, to date, ranges between 4 months and 4 years.  Five of the seventeen patients have 
been on the combination regimen for between 3.5–4 years.  All seventeen patients have 
tolerated the combination therapy well.  Of note, one patient, a 3-year old male with late-infantile 
GM1 gangliosidosis, showed mild improvement in visual reception, receptive language and 
expressive language domains after his first 6 months of full dose miglustat and full ketogenic 
diet; however, persistent decline in fine and gross motor domains continued.  After 4 months of 
treatment with goal dose miglustat, a 10-month old female with GM1 gangliosidosis showed 
stabilization in the cognitive, receptive and expressive communication domains.  Fine and gross 
motor skills showed decline, but after 3 years on treatment have stabilized.  Her adaptive skills 
showed a significant rebound after 4 months treatment, although they continue to not approach 
the normal baseline.  This patient also experienced a reduction in seizure frequency and 
severity.  A 2.5 year-old male with infantile Tay-Sachs disease has shown a stable pattern in the 
communication and motor domains with some decline in the cognitive domain and adaptive skill 
after 2 months of treatment with goal dose miglustat.  Overall, the combination of miglustat with 
ketogenic diet has been very well tolerated in all the patients, with no notable toxicities.  
Neuropsychiatric evaluations have shown improvement in some domains for patients using the 
goal miglustat dose; seizure frequency and severity have improved in all the patients; and 
preliminary results suggest further improvement may be possible with the combination of 
miglustat and the ketogenic diet. 
 
10.0  Investigational Agent: Miglustat 
 
10.1  Miglustat description and mechanism of action.  Miglustat is a competitive and reversible 
inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase enzyme, which is the first enzyme that acts in a series of 
reactions in the glycosphingolipid pathway.  Miglustat therefore reduces the biosynthesis of 
glycosphingolipid in the glycosphingolipid pathway, including the reduction of GM1 and GM2 
ganglioside.23-27  Miglustat’s chemical name is 1,5-(butylimino)-1,5-dideoxy-D-glucitol.  The 
chemical structure is C10H21NO4.  Miglustat has a molecular weight of 219.28.  Miglustat is 
available as a crystalline solid that is highly water soluble.  Miglustat is commercially available 
under brand name Zavesca®, in 100 mg capsules.26 
 


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10.2  Miglustat indications.  Miglustat is FDA approved for treatment of Gaucher disease type I, 
in patients for whom intravenous enzyme replacement therapy is not an option.  Miglustat is 
approved in the European Union for the treatment of pediatric patients with Niemann-Pick type 
C disease (NPC).  Miglustat has also been approved for NPC treatment in Australia, Brazil, 
Canada, Israel, Turkey and Switzerland.26,27 
 
10.3  Pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism.  In studies of miglustat in Gaucher disease 
patients the time to maximum observed plasma concentration was 2 to 2.5 hours.  Plasma 
concentrations declined biexponentially, with a short distribution phase followed by a longer 
elimination phase.  The half-life of miglustat is approximately 6-7 hours.  Steady state is 
achieved by 1.5 to 2 days after initiation of 3 times daily dosing.26 
 
10.4  Miglustat oral bioavailability.  The mean oral bioavailability of miglustat capsules is 
approximately 97%.26 
 
10.5  Miglustat distribution.  In studies of patients with Gaucher disease type I, the mean 
apparent volume of distribution of miglustat is 83-105 liters, indicating significant distribution into 
extravascular tissues.27 
 
A pharmacokinetic profile study of miglustat in healthy rats showed miglustat to be well 
absorbed after a single oral administration with an oral bioavailability of 40-60%.  Miglustat is 
eliminated renally by glomerular filtration and active secretion.  Hepatic clearance of miglustat 
was shown to be negligible.  Miglustat was found to have good partitioning into most tissues 
evaluated, including bone marrow, lungs, heart, kidney, bladder, liver, stomach, and small and 
large intestine.  Miglustat showed appreciable distribution into the rat brain tissue.  The ratio of 
tissue:plasma AUC for the rat brain was 0.40.  Miglustat elimination half-life in the rat plasma 
was approximately 5 hours, but was significantly longer in the brain tissue at 17 hours.20 
 
10.6  Miglustat elimination.  The major elimination route for miglustat is renal. Miglustat is 
excreted unchanged in the urine.26 
 
10.7  Renal insufficiency.  In adult Gaucher disease patients, initial starting dose may be 
reduced to 100 mg twice daily for creatinine clearance 50-70 ml/min/1.73 m2; 100 mg once daily 
for 30-50 ml/min/1.73 m2; and miglustat is not recommended for Gaucher patients with renal 
clearance less than 30 ml/min/1.73 m2.26 
 
10.8  Hepatic disease.  Miglustat is not metabolized and no dose adjustments are needed for 
hepatic function impairment.26 
 
10.9  Toxicology.  The most common adverse effects of miglustat in adult Gaucher disease type 
I are gastrointestinal side effects of diarrhea (up to 100% of patients), flatulence (29-50% of 
patients), weight loss (39-67% of patients), abdominal pain (18-67% of patients), and benign 
intentional tremor (up to 33% of adult Gaucher disease type I patients).25  The gastrointestinal 
side effects are due to miglustat’s inhibition of the action of disaccharidase digestive enzymes in 
the gut, primarily maltase, sucrose, and to a lesser degree, lactase.  The disaccharidase 
inhibition can cause side effects of osmotic diarrhea when patients eat dairy foods, starchy 
foods such as bread, pasta and potatoes, and foods containing a high amount of sugar.26,27 
Overdoses in adults lead to neutropenia, which predisposes to severe infection. 
 


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There is limited human experience in the use of miglustat in children (especially those less than 
4 years of age); as well as known risks of peripheral neuropathy, diarrhea and weight loss.  
Thrombocytopenia is a known side effect, so prior to surgery or invasive procedures, the child 
will require a CBC to ensure that the procedure can be safely performed.  
 
Miglustat is in pregnancy risk category C in the USA.  There are no adequate, well controlled 
studies of miglustat in pregnant women.  In female rats given miglustat at doses of 20,60,180 
mg/kg/day beginning 14 days before mating and continuing through day 17 gestation, 
decreased live births, decreased birth weight and complete litter loss was observed in the mid- 
to high-dose groups.26  In the pregnant rats in the mid- to high-dose groups, delayed parturition 
and dystocia were also observed.26 
 
10.10 Dosing guidelines.  Subjects with body surface area (BSA) < 0.73 m2 will receive the goal 
dose of 100 mg miglustat three times daily, or the maximum dose tolerated up to 100 mg 
miglustat three times daily.   
 
Rationale: studies of miglustat in infants and young children with gangliosidosis diseases have 
shown safety and tolerability.  (References: (1) Maegawa GH, van Giersbergen PL, Yang S, 
Banwell B, Morgan CP, Dingemanse J, Tifft CJ, Clarke JT. Pharmacokinetics, safety and 
tolerability of miglustat in the treatment of pediatric patients with GM2 gangliosidosis. Mol Genet 
Metab. 2009 Aug;97(4):284-291; (2) Bembi B, Marchetti F, Guerci VI, Ciana G, Addobbati R, 
Grasso D, Barone R, Cariati R, Fernandez-Guillen L, Butters T, Pittis MG. Substrate reduction 
therapy in the infantile form of Tay-Sachs disease. Neurology. 2006 Jan 24;66(2):278-280; (3) 
Maegawa GH, Banwell BL, Blaser S, Sorge G, Toplak M, Ackerley C, Hawkins C, Hayes J, 
Clarke JT. Substrate reduction therapy in juvenile GM2 gangliosidosis. Mol Genet Metab. 2009 
Sep-Oct;98(1-2):215-224.) 
 
The safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic study cited above (by Maegawa et al. 2009) 
showed safety and tolerability of miglustat in eleven children with GM2 gangliosidosis.  In this 
study six of the patients had infantile phenotype (with ages ranging between 1 year and 5 years 
and BSAs ranging between 0.4 m2 and 0.7 m2), and five patients had the juvenile phenotype 
(with ages ranging between 10.1 years and 20 years and BSAs ranging between 0.8 m2 and 1.8 
m2).    
 
The dosing of miglustat in the Maegawa study was described as follows: "In order to achieve 
adequate levels of miglustat in the central nervous system, the highest doses already examined 
in LSDs [lysosomal storage diseases] were chosen. The drug was administered at a maximum 
dose of 600 mg/day, divided into three doses. As the study was performed in a pediatric 
population, the dose was adjusted to the body surface area (BSA) of each patient."  Children 
with BSA < 0.8 m2  received miglustat dosed at 50 mg-90 mg 3 times daily, titrated to the 
maximum tolerated dose (up to 270 mg per day).  The major dose-limiting drug-related adverse 
events that resulted in dose reductions of miglustat in Maegawa's study were gastrointestinal 
side effects secondary to miglustat's inhibition of disaccharidases in the gut, resulting in 
intolerance of dietary carbohydrates.  For patients with BSA < 0.8 m2, final doses, after titrating 
to maximum tolerated dose, ranged widely from 360 mg/m2  to 450 mg/m2, and the milligrams 
administered per day ranged from 15 mg/kg/day to 20.9 mg/kg/day.  
 
Subjects with BSA 0.8 – 1.3 m2 will receive the goal dose of 100 mg miglustat three times daily, 
or the maximum dose tolerated up to 100 mg miglustat three times daily.   
 


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Rationale: In Maegawa's 2009 study, patients with BSA within 0.8 m2 to 1.3 m2 received 100 mg 
3 times daily. 
 
Subjects with BSA > 1.3 m2 will receive the maximum dose tolerated, up to 200 mg miglustat 
three times daily.   
 
Rationale: In Maegawa's 2009 study, patients with BSA > 1.3 m2 received 600 mg per day (200 
mg 3 times daily), or the maximum tolerated dose, up to 200 mg 3 times daily. 
 
10.11  Use of miglustat in this study.  Before starting miglustat, patients will be initiated on the 
ketogenic diet, with goal of achieving a 4:1 ratio, and showing stability on the ketogenic diet for 
2 weeks before starting miglustat therapy. 
 
Miglustat dose will be prepared by dissolving contents of one 100 mg capsule in 10 ml of water. 
Only one dose of miglustat will be prepared at a time and the preparation must be used 
immediately and not stored for future use.  Any unused solution during the initial dose escalation 
should be discarded.  Miglustat dose will be prepared by patient’s caregiver and caregiver will 
be counseled on pregnancy category C status and sperm parameter studies of miglustat.  
Caregiver should use a mask and gloves during preparation of miglustat solution. 
 
The following written instructions will be given to the parents: 
 
The miglustat dose will be prepared by dissolving contents of one 100 mg capsule in 10 ml of 
water in a medication dosing syringe.  The child's parents will be taught by the study 
investigator how to measure the 10 ml of water and mix with miglustat powder in the syringe 
prior to administration.  Only one dose of miglustat will be prepared at a time and the 
preparation must be used immediately and not stored for future use.  Any unused solution 
during the initial dose escalation should be discarded.  Parent should use a mask and gloves 
during preparation of miglustat solution. 
 
10.12  Miglustat dose titration schedule.   
 
For subjects with a BSA of < 1.3 m2, the goal dose will be 100 mg three times daily. 
 
The miglustat dose will be titrated over approximately 8 weeks to a goal dose of 100 mg 3 times 
daily in pediatric patients in this study, according to the following titration schedule: 
 
The contents of one 100 mg capsule will be dissolved in 10 ml water and then 5 ml of this 
solution (50 mg, dissolved in 5 ml water), will be administered once daily in the evening for two 
weeks. 
 
If the 50 mg once daily dose is well tolerated (i.e., patient does not show signs of 
gastrointestinal side effects of diarrhea, reflux or gastrointestinal cramping), then the dose will 
be increased to 100 mg once daily for two weeks. 
 
The 100 mg dose will be prepared by dissolving contents of one 100 mg capsule in 10 ml of 
water, followed by administration of the 100 mg dose (dissolved in the 10 ml water) once daily in 
the evening for two weeks. 
 
If the 100 mg once daily dose is well tolerated (i.e., patient does not show signs of 
gastrointestinal side effects of diarrhea, reflux or gastrointestinal cramping), then the dose will 


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be increased to 100 mg twice daily for two weeks.  Each 100 mg dose will be prepared by 
mixing contents of one 100 mg capsule in 10 ml of water for each dose, and using each dose 
immediately after preparation (do not save any unused portion of the mixture).  
 
If the 100 mg twice daily dose is well tolerated (i.e., patient does not show signs of 
gastrointestinal side effects of diarrhea, reflux or gastrointestinal cramping), then the dose will 
be increased to 100 mg three times daily for two weeks.  Each 100 mg dose will be prepared by 
mixing contents of one 100 mg capsule in 10 ml of water for each dose, and using each dose 
immediately after preparation (do not save any unused portion of the mixture).  
 
If the dose of 100 mg three times daily is well tolerated (i.e., patient does not show signs of 
gastrointestinal side effects of diarrhea, reflux or gastrointestinal cramping), then the dose will 
continue at 100 mg three times daily. 
 
If the subject’s BSA is > 1.3 m2, and if their insurance covers up to 600 mg/day miglustat, if the 
dose of 100 mg three times daily is well tolerated for two weeks, then increase dose to 100 mg 
in the morning and at midday and 200 mg in the evening for two weeks.  If this dose is well 
tolerated, then increase dose to 200 mg in the morning, 100 mg at midday and 200 mg in the 
evening for two weeks.  If this dose is well tolerated, then increase dose to 200 mg in the 
morning, 200 mg at midday and 200 mg in the evening for two weeks.  If the dose of 200 mg 
three times daily is well tolerated (i.e., patient does not show signs of gastrointestinal side 
effects of diarrhea, reflux or gastrointestinal cramping), then the dose will continue at 200 mg 
three times daily. 
 
If the subject's BSA is > 1.3 m2, but the subject's insurance does not cover miglustat dose of 
200 mg three times daily, subject will use maximum dose of miglustat that is covered by the 
subject's insurance, not to exceed 600 mg/day miglustat. 
 
10.13  Dose adjustment guidelines: 
 
Peripheral neuropathy: If a patient is found to have peripheral neuropathy that is increased 
above pre-treatment levels, the dose of miglustat will be reduced by one-third and patient will be 
reassessed by neurologist 1 month later.  If peripheral neuropathy has not resolved, the 
miglustat dose will be reduced by another one-third and the patient evaluated again after 1 
month.  If peripheral neuropathy continues, at the discretion of the neurologist, miglustat may be 
stopped.  
 
Thrombocytopenia: If a patient is found to have thrombocytopenia, the dosing of miglustat will 
be held and CBC with platelets and differential checked weekly until platelet count recovers.  If 
platelet counts do not recover after 2 weeks, then at discretion of study physician, miglustat 
therapy may be stopped, if deemed necessary under clinical discretion of study physician. 
 
Gastrointestinal side effects of miglustat: If a patient is having gastrointestinal side effects of 
nausea, vomiting, reflux, cramping, or diarrhea, the study doctors and ketogenic diet team will 
evaluate if there is a miglustat-carbohydrate interaction occurring that may involve too many 
carbohydrates in the diet, requiring dietary adjustments; and/or whether there are medications 
that patient may be taking that contain high levels of carbohydrate (i.e., liquid solution 
formulation of anti-seizure medications that are manufactured using simple syrup formulations).  
Medications made with high carbohydrate components such as simple syrups will need to be 
changed to unsweetened liquids or changed to a tablet or capsule form that may be crushed 
and administered via feeding tube.  The study doctor will work with the patient's ketogenic diet 


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team to make these changes.  If no dietary or medication cause of gastrointestinal side effects 
is found, miglustat should be stopped to see if symptoms resolve.  If symptoms resolve after 
stopping miglustat, miglustat may be re-started at 50 mg once daily, and, if tolerated with no 
gastrointestinal side effects, the dose may be slowly titrated as tolerated, to goal dose or 
maximum dose tolerated, not to exceed goal dose for patient's BSA. 
 
11.0  Ketogenic Diet 
 
11.1  Description and approved uses.  The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet 
that is an established and effective non-pharmacologic treatment for epilepsy in children.28-30  A 
highly restricted Ketogenic diet, or 4:1 ketogenic diet, is often the form of the diet used for 
recalcitrant seizures and consists of 4 grams of fat to 1 gram of combination of protein and 
carbohydrate.28-30 
 
11.2  Toxicities.  The ketogenic diet has been safely used in children and adults for many 
decades.28-30  Patients may experience constipation with use of the ketogenic diet, especially 
during the initiation phases of the ketogenic diet.28-30  Patients should be monitored for 
hypoglycemia 2 to 3 times daily during the initiation of the ketogenic diet, more frequently during 
adjustments to the ketogenic diet, and then periodically after they are stabilized on the 
ketogenic diet, as deemed appropriate by the patient’s clinical ketogenic diet team.28-30  A rare 
side effect of the ketogenic diet is increased risk of kidney stone formation.28-30  Ketogenic diets, 
when properly followed, have not shown adverse effects on lipid profiles, but due to the higher 
fat content of the ketogenic diet, plasma lipid profiles should be monitored every 6 months.28-30  
Some patients have experienced a transient increase in seizures during the initiation of the 
ketogenic diet.28-30 
 
11.3  Use of ketogenic diet in this study.  The ketogenic diet may provide benefits for patients 
with gangliosidoses by the following mechanisms: 
 
1) Minimize or reduce the severity of food-drug interactions between miglustat and 
carbohydrates 
2) Reduce seizure activity 
3) Increase the bioavailability of miglustat to the central nervous system 
 
11.4  Initiation and management of the ketogenic diet.  The ketogenic diet must be initiated and 
managed by a clinical ketogenic diet team.  Members of this team will include a ketogenic 
dietician and neurologist trained in the ketogenic diet.  The ketogenic diet team will work in 
collaboration with the patients’ doctor Chester Whitley, MD, PhD, Pediatric Geneticist and 
Primary Care Pediatrician; and Dr. Jeanine R. Jarnes, Clinical PharmD.  The patients will be 
admitted to hospital for 2-3 days for initiation of the ketogenic diet, during which time the goal 
will be to transition them from their previous diet to a 1:1 ketogenic diet, and then to a 2:1 
ketogenic diet.  During hospitalization, urine or plasma ketones and blood glucose will be 
monitored per the institution’s policy for ketogenic diet initiation, and the caregivers will be 
taught how to do home urine ketone monitoring and home blood glucose testing.  The patient 
may be further transitioned to a 3:1 and then to a 4:1 ketogenic diet after discharge from the 
hospital.  Ketogenic diet management will be performed not only at the University of Minnesota, 
but also locally by a local ketogenic diet team that works in close communication with the 
University of Minnesota ketogenic diet team.  This teamwork relationship will be established 
prior to the subject beginning their transition to the ketogenic diet at the University of Minnesota.  
Communication between the two ketogenic diet teams will occur prior to the subject beginning 


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their transition to the ketogenic diet at the University of Minnesota, and will recur weekly during 
the period in which the child is transitioning to the ketogenic diet, as well as whenever questions 
arise. 
 
The ketogenic diet can cause constipation.  The ketogenic diet may also cause increased 
urination, and this could lead to dehydration.  Subjects may experience lethargy while 
transitioning to the ketogenic diet.  The lethargy often resolves once the patient is established 
on the ketogenic diet, but in some patients it may continue.  A rare adverse effect of the 
ketogenic diet is the development of kidney stones.28-30  Anti-seizure medications that are 
classified as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (e.g., acetazolamide, topiramate) have been 
associated with the development of kidney stones on rare occasions.31  Patients using anti-
seizure medications that are classified as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors may be at increased 
risk of development of kidney stones.31  Ensuring adequate hydration and avoiding use of anti-
seizure medications that are carbonic anhydrase inhibitors will help minimize risk of kidney 
stone formation.31 
 
11.5  Other parameters being monitored.  The following parameters will be monitored at 
baseline and then every 3 months for the first year of treatment, and then every 6 months 
thereafter: subject weight, height, occipital-frontal circumference, comprehensive metabolic 
panel (including serum creatinine and estimated GFR and liver function tests), CBC with 
platelets and differential, lipid panel, neurologic exam to assess for peripheral neuropathy, and 
urine pregnancy test in all post-pubertal females.  It is acceptable for this interval safety 
monitoring to not occur at the primary study site as long as the neurologic exam could be 
performed by an experienced practitioner. 
 
12.0  Study Objectives 
 
12.1  Primary objective.  The primary analysis for Syner-G treatment regimen will use the 
intention-to-treat (ITT) population and evaluate overall survival.  This will be evaluated based on 
chronological age at time of death or conclusion of study (whichever occurs first), and compared 
to available natural history data.  Median survival will be compared to previously reported 
natural history studies of infantile9 and juvenile11 forms.  Median survival of patients with infantile 
GM2 gangliosidosis was estimated at 47 months based on data from the National Tay-Sachs 
and Allied Diseases database for patients born after 2000.9  Median survival for the juvenile 
form was estimated at 14.5 years.11   
 
12.2  Secondary objective.  Evaluate the effect of Syner-G therapy in patients with infant and 
juvenile gangliosidoses on changes in neurodevelopmental status, as assessed using age-
equivalent scores of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development for expressive 
communication, receptive communication, fine motor skills and gross motor skills; and using the 
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. 
 
A secondary endpoint will be the rate of change (i.e., slope) in neurocognitive functioning over 
the duration of follow-up, compared to available natural history data.  This analysis will be 
conducted separately for each of the two sub-types: infantile and juvenile.  The primary 
neurocognitive functioning endpoint for both pediatric groups is age-equivalent scores of the 
Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development for expressive communication, receptive 
communication, fine motor skills and gross motor skills.  Another primary neurocognitive 
functioning endpoint for both pediatric groups is age-equivalent scores of the Vineland Adaptive 
Behavior Scales.  Using general estimating equations (GEE) and an exchangeable working 
correlation structure, variance estimation for confidence intervals and P-values will take into 


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account the possible correlated nature of multiple measurements on the same individual.  
Supportive analyses will include evaluation using the per-protocol (PP) population. 
 
13.0  Study Design 
 
13.1  Overview of study design.  Both retrospective and prospective data will be collected during 
this study.  This is a single-arm treatment protocol, with intention-to-treat per-protocol design.  
The primary analysis for Syner-G treatment regimen will use the intention-to-treat (ITT) 
population and evaluate overall survival.  This will be evaluated based on chronological age at 
time of death or conclusion of study (whichever occurs first), and compared to available natural 
history data.  This will be conducted separately for each of the two sub-types: infantile and 
juvenile.  The neurocognitive functioning endpoint for both groups is the cognition domain of the 
Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development for expressive communication, receptive 
communication, fine motor skills, gross motor skills; and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales.  
Each of the other 4 domains will be evaluated as secondary endpoints.  Using general 
estimating equations (GEE) and an exchangeable working correlation structure, variance 
estimation for confidence intervals and P-values will take into account the possible correlated 
nature of multiple measurements on the same individual.  Supportive analyses will include 
evaluation using the per-protocol (PP) population. 
 
Subgroup analyses: analyses will be repeated among GM1 gangliosidosis patients and among 
GM2 gangliosidosis patients, and among the infantile and juvenile forms of both GM1 and GM2 
gangliosidosis. 
 
Yearly evaluations, whenever possible, will also explore changes in seizure frequency and 
severity, and in movement disorders, evaluated by neurologist and parent-report. 
 
Some subjects do not have insurance coverage for certain evaluations.  Sometimes the 
insurance coverage changes and clinical care that was covered in the past is no longer covered.  
The investigators will continue to see these patients annually, whenever possible, and will 
provide the scheduled clinical-care visits according to what is allowed within the restrictions of 
the subject’s health care insurance.  When any given subject is unable to make their annual visit 
to the University of Minnesota due to illness or weakness, this will not cause them to be 
withdrawn from the research study.  The reason for foregoing the evaluation will be documented 
in the subject’s file, and the investigators will continue to follow them through telephone contacts 
with family members and health care providers. 
 
13.2  Study population.  Study population will be any patient with an infantile or late-
infantile/juvenile gangliosidosis disease.    
 
13.3  Sample size.  A total of 30 infants or children: 
   
 
5 patients with infantile Tay-Sachs disease 
 
5 patients with juvenile Tay-Sachs disease 
 
5 patients with infantile Sandhoff disease 
 
5 patients with juvenile Sandhoff disease 
 
5 patients with infantile GM1 gangliosidosis 
 5 patients with juvenile GM1 gangliosidosis 
 


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13.4  Subject recruitment.  Subjects will be recruited from the investigators’ clinical practice and 
through the Lysosomal Disease Network.  This clinical trial will be posted on ClinicalTrials.gov 
and this may serve to recruit patients to the study. 
 
13.5  Subject screening.  Eligibility will be assessed during a baseline evaluation and will include 
confirmation of gangliosidosis disease via mutation analysis and tissue (e.g. leukocyte) 
ascertainment of level of hexosaminidase or β-galactosidase enzyme activity. 
 
13.6  Prior and concomitant therapy.  Subjects may have had previous therapies for 
gangliosidosis.  If subjects are taking miglustat and/or pyrimethamine, and/or are on a ketogenic 
diet at the time of screening, they will be allowed to continue these therapies and will be allowed 
to participate in the Syner-G study. 
 
13.7  Inclusion criteria.  Subjects will be eligible to participate in the study if all of the following 
criteria are met: 1) confirmed diagnosis of infantile or juvenile GM1or GM2 gangliosidosis via 
mutation analysis and tissue enzyme activity analysis (e.g. leukocyte activity of β-
hexosaminidase A, including percent activity contributed from both α–subunit and β–subunits) 
or tissue β-galactosidase enzyme activity; 2) subjects must be age 0 - 17 years at time of 
enrollment; and 3) subjects and their caregivers must work closely with their University of 
Minnesota ketogenic diet team, and with their local ketogenic diet team, which must include a 
ketogenic dietician and a neurologist trained in the ketogenic diet. 
 
13.8  Exclusion criteria. Subjects will not be eligible to participate in the study if any of the 
following criteria are met: 1) a desire to not participate; 2) children with severe renal impairment 
will be excluded from the study; 3) post-pubertal females who are pregnant or unwilling to use 
highly-effective methods to prevent pregnancy will be excluded from the study; 4) breast-feeding 
females will be excluded from this study; and 5) subjects who have an allergy to miglustat or 
any of the components within the drug product will be excluded from this study. 
 
13.9  Exit/discontinuation criteria.  Subjects will exit the study if any of the following conditions 
exist: 1) subject voluntarily withdraws from the study; 2) subject acquires any of the listed 
exclusion criteria; 3) subject develops severe renal impairment; 4) subject becomes pregnant; or 
subject’s well-being, in the opinion of the Investigator, would be compromised by study 
continuation. 
 
14.0  Informed Consent 
 
All subjects and their parents or caregivers for this study will be provided a University of 
Minnesota IRB-approved consent form describing this study and providing sufficient information 
for subjects to make an informed decision about their participation in this study.  The consent 
form will be submitted with the protocol for review and approval by the University of Minnesota 
IRB for the study.  The formal consent of a subject, using the IRB-approved consent form, must 
be obtained before that subject is submitted to any study procedure.  This consent form must be 
signed by the subject or legally acceptable surrogate, and the investigator-designated research 
professional obtaining the consent.  A blank copy of the IRB-approved form must be kept on-site 
and by the sponsor-investigator. 
 
 
 
 


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15.0 Laboratory Testing Procedures 
 
All labs will be sent to Fairview Labs for in-house processing, or to be forwarded by Fairview 
Labs to outside processing facilities: 
  
Fairview Diagnostic Laboratories  
Mayo Building Room D293 
420 Delaware St SE (MMC 300) 
Minneapolis, MN 55455 
612-273-7838 voice, 612-273-0183 fax 
 
15.1  Other parameters being monitored.  The following parameters will be monitored at 
baseline and then every 3 months for the first year of treatment, and then every 6 months 
thereafter: subject weight, height, occipital-frontal circumference, comprehensive metabolic 
panel (including serum creatinine and estimated GFR and liver function tests), CBC with 
platelets and differential, lipid panel, neurologic exam to assess for peripheral neuropathy, and 
urine pregnancy test in all post-pubertal females.  It is acceptable for this interval safety 
monitoring to not occur at the primary study site as long as the neurologic exam could be 
performed by an experienced practitioner. 
 
16.0  Subject Withdrawal 
 
16.1  How to withdraw subjects.  Patients can choose to withdraw from the study at any time. 
We will request that the patients notify the investigators if they wish to withdraw from the study.  
Subjects will stop the study if: 
1) The subject voluntarily chooses to withdraw from the study. 
2) The study investigator(s) may choose to discontinue patient from study if patient is 
experiencing adverse effects that cannot be managed by dose adjustments of the study 
agent. 
 
16.2  Data collection and follow-up for withdrawn subjects.  Patients will continue to receive full 
clinical services in our lysosomal disease treatment clinic. 
 
16.3  Subject compensation.  There will be no compensation to subjects for participation in this 
clinical trial. 
 


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17.0  Study Timetable / Schedule of Events 
BL = Baseline, Wk = Week, M = Month, Y = Year 
 
Study Events 
Pre- 
Study 
BL 
Wk 1 
Wk 2 
Wk 3 
M 1, 
Wk 4 
M 3 
M 6 
M 9 
Y 1 
M 12 
M 18 
Y 2-5 
Annual 
Visits 
Y 2-5 
Half-
Year 
Time-
Point 
Every 3 M 
Throughout 
this 
Research 
Study 
Monthly 
Assessment 
after the 
First Year of 
Study 
Participation 
Determination of leukocyte 
hexosaminidase activity level for 
GM2 gangliosidosis patients, or β-
galactosidase activity level for GM1 
gangliosidosis patients 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Informed Consent 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Demographics data collection 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Retrospective data collection 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Telephone follow-up call: In addition 
to the timetable shown here, a 
member of the study staff will 
contact the parent at least once 
weekly during the time when the 
subject is transitioning onto the 
ketogenic diet, and while the subject 
is titrating the miglustat dose, and 
any time the dose is decreased due 
to adverse events, until symptoms 
have re-solved.  Additionally, while 
the subject is on a stable (goal) 
miglustat dose, side effects will be 
assessed by telephone contact or at 
clinic visits every 3 months 
throughout the study period. 
 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
 
Miglustat goal dose = 100 mg 3X 
daily.  Evaluation of dose titration 
and tolerance of miglustat therapy 
by tele-phone contact and during 
clinic visit.  After 1st year, 
assessments will continue for a 
minimum of once monthly. 
 
 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
 
X 
Ketogenic Diet 4:1 
Evaluation by ketogenic dietician 
and neurologist trained in ketogenic 
diet (a “ketogenic diet team”) per 
institution’s clinical program protocol, 
either at the research site or locally 
in subject’s geographic area.  After 
1st year, assessments will continue 
for a minimum of once monthly. 
 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
 
X 
Neuropsychological Testing changes 
in neuropsychiatric status as 
assessed by: age-equivalent scores 
of Bayley Scales of Infant and 
Toddler Development; and of 
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
X 
 
X 
 
 
 
Neurological evaluation of changes 
in seizure frequency and severity, 
and of movement disorders 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
X 
 
X 
 
 
 
Measurement of subject weight, 
height, occipital-frontal 
circumference, comprehensive 
metabolic panel (including serum 
creatinine, estimated GFR, and liver 
function tests), CBC with plate-lets 
and differential, lipid panel, 
neurologic exam to assess for 
peripheral neuropathy, and urine 
pregnancy test in all post-pubertal 
females.  It is accept-able for this 
interval safety monitoring to not 
occur at the primary study site as 
long as the neurologic exam is 
performed by an experienced 
practitioner. 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


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Whenever possible, the scheduled assessments/exams will be conducted on all subjects for the 
duration of the study.  However, due to disease progression or concurrent illness, some 
patients after enrollment may not be able to fulfill the annual visit requirement.  If this occurs, a 
failure to appear for any given annual visit will not make any subject ineligible to continue as a 
research participant.  For research purposes, the rarity of the gangliosidoses dictates that as 
much data as possible be collected on any given subject. 
 
When any newly-enrolled subject is already using the Syner-G regimen at time of enrollment, for 
clinical management, the Schedule of Events for that subject will begin with the scheduled time-
point that corresponds to the number of weeks or months that subject has been using Syner-G. 
 
 
18.0  Data Analysis 
 
18.1  Subject populations for analysis: 
 
 
Intention-to-treat Population (ITT): All subjects who initiate any portion of the treatment 
regimen in association with this study 
 
Per-protocol Population (PP): Includes all subjects who initiate treatment and are 
compliant with at least 75% of prescribed drug doses of miglustat, and at least 3:1 
ketogenic diet.   
 Safety population: All subjects who receive any amount of the combination treatment 
regimen.  Due to the nature of a combination treatment, multiple groups may be 
identified, should partial adherence be observed. 
 
18.2  Sample size determination.  The sample size for the study was determined primarily by 
feasibility due to the extremely rare nature of the disease.  There are two distinct sub-types to 
be evaluated: infantile and juvenile.  Analysis will be based on variability estimates from 
published natural history studies8,11,19 of the infantile form and juvenile form, and correlation 
between baseline and annual follow-up for up to 4 years. 
 
18.3  Statistical analysis.  Descriptive analyses of baseline characteristics and outcomes will 
include means, standard deviations, medians, and ranges for continuous variables and 
frequencies for categorical variables.  Treatment compliance for each group will also be 
evaluated.  All analyses will be conducted separately for the two disease sub-types – infantile 
and juvenile – due to the highly heterogeneous patient groups. 
 
The primary analysis for Syner-G treatment regimen will use the intention-to-treat (ITT) 
population and evaluate overall survival.  This will be evaluated based on chronological age at 
time of death or conclusion of study (whichever occurs first), and compared to available natural 
history data.  Median survival will be compared to previously reported natural history studies of 
infantile9 and juvenile11 forms.  Infantile median survival was estimated at 47 months based on 
data from the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases database for patients born after 2000.9  
Median survival for the juvenile form was estimated at 14.5 years.11 
 
A secondary endpoint will be the rate of change (i.e., slope) in neurocognitive functioning over 
the duration of follow-up, compared to available natural history data.  This analysis will be 
conducted separately for each of the two sub-types: infantile and juvenile.  The primary 


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neurocognitive functioning endpoint for both pediatric groups is age-equivalent scores of the 
Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development for expressive communication, receptive 
communication, fine motor skills and gross motor skills.  Another primary neurocognitive 
functioning endpoint for both pediatric groups is age-equivalent scores of the Vineland Adaptive 
Behavior Scales.  Using general estimating equations (GEE) and an exchangeable working 
correlation structure, variance estimation for confidence intervals and P-values will take into 
account the possible correlated nature of multiple measurements on the same individual.  
Supportive analyses will include evaluation using the per-protocol (PP) population.   
 
Safety analyses will be primarily descriptive, reporting the number and percentage of AEs and 
descriptive summaries.  These analyses will use multiple safety populations according to which 
components of the combination therapy subjects were exposed to.  Due to the longitudinal 
nature of the study and potential for later-emerging effects, the safety profile will be 
characterized for each sub-type over time.  Supportive analyses will include evaluation using the 
PP population.   
 
Subgroup analyses: analyses will be repeated among GM1 gangliosidosis patients and among 
GM2 gangliosidosis patients, and among the infantile and juvenile forms of both GM1 and GM2 
gangliosidosis. 
 
18.4  Missing data.  Despite best efforts to avoid missing data, it is possible that some will occur 
and will be a potential limitation to the interpretation and generalizability of results.  In particular, 
missing data may arise for non-survival outcomes (e.g. neurocognitive function data) in the 
event of death.  For these instances, it is unclear whether a complete-case analysis (i.e. 
excluding patients who die) would be unbiased, and therefore would be unsatisfactory.  It is also 
unclear what would be an appropriate magnitude of discount to satisfactorily represent the 
negative outcome of death.  By conducting both the complete-case analysis (unbiased if death 
is independent of the non-survival outcome) and an analysis with an imputed value for instances 
of death (intention-to-treat type of analysis), the potential magnitude of treatment effect will be 
better characterized. 
 
Missing data may also arise from “lost to follow-up.”  The last-observation-carried-forward 
imputation will be used to satisfy this type of missing data.  Sensitivity analyses to evaluate the 
extent to which results are dependent on the approach to missing data will be conducted, 
wherein multiple imputations will also be considered. 
 
19.0  Safety Monitoring 
 
The study protocol will be reviewed and approved by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 
before submission to University of Minnesota IRB for approval.  Participant enrollment may only 
proceed with IRB approved consent forms.  All adverse events will be reported to the local IRB 
and to the Study Chair who will tabulate and review these events.    
 
The Study Chair has primary oversight responsibility of this clinical trial.  The Study Chair and 
the Steering Committee will review accrual patterns, adverse events, data quality, and protocol 
compliance. 
 
19.1  Data and safety monitoring plan.  The NINDS has reviewed the risk associated with this 
study, and the following safety monitoring will be implemented: 
 


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The Study Chair and her IRB will monitor the study and all adverse events.  In addition, adverse 
event reports will be sent to the ORDR-designated medical monitor on a basis to be agreed 
upon, generally monthly.  The ORDR-designated medical monitor will also review cumulative 
adverse events (AEs). The frequency of review of cumulative AEs will be determined by the 
medical monitor in conjunction with the Study Chair and will occur at least every 12 months. 
 
The Study Chair has primary oversight responsibility of this clinical trial.  The investigators will 
identify adverse events on an ongoing basis as they occur and will report them to the IRB and 
the Data Management and Coordinating Center (DMCC).  If a subject experiences an adverse 
effect from the treatment medication, dose reduction adjustments will be made to the 
medication, if indicated. 
    
The Principal Investigator and the research team (co-investigators, research nurses, clinical trial 
coordinators, and data managers) are responsible for identifying adverse events.  Aggregate 
report–detailed by severity, attribution (expected or unexpected), and relationship to the study 
procedures–will be available from the DMCC for site review.  Adverse events will be reviewed 
by the research team as they occur.  A separate report detailing protocol compliance will also be 
available from the DMCC for site review on a monthly basis.  The research team will then 
evaluate whether the protocol or informed consent document requires revision based on the 
reports. 
 
19.2  Adverse event definitions and standards.  The Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network 
defines an adverse event as:  “…an unfavorable and unintended sign, symptom or disease 
associated with a participant’s participation in a Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network 
study.” 
 
Serious adverse events include those events that: “result in death; are life-threatening; require 
inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization; create persistent or 
significant disability/incapacity, or a congenital anomaly/birth defect.”  
 
An unexpected adverse event is defined as any adverse experience…the specificity or severity 
of which is not consistent with the risks described in the protocol.  
 
Expected adverse events are those that are known to be associated with or have the potential 
to arise as a consequence of participation in the study. 
 
All reported adverse events will be classified using the current version of the Common 
Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) developed and maintained by CTEP at 
National Cancer Institute. 
 
19.3  Expected and known risks, discomforts, or adverse events associated with study 
intervention and procedures: Definition of expected adverse events.  Neuropsychological 
testing: No known risks.  No sensitive questions will be asked during the testing.   
 
Anticipated risks of miglustat.23   Potential risks to subjects include the following adverse drug 
events: 
 
In clinical trials of miglustat in children with gangliosidoses, miglustat demonstrated an 
acceptable safety profile for use in young children.  The most common side effects reported 


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were diarrhea and weight loss.  These gastrointestinal side effects of miglustat may be 
prevented or ameliorated by using a low-carbohydrate diet. 
In clinical trials of adult patients with Gaucher disease type I, common side effects reported 
included:  
 
Diarrhea (up to 100% of patients of patients with adult Gaucher disease type I) 
 
Flatulence (29-50% of patients of patients with adult Gaucher disease type I) 
 
Weight loss (39-67% of patients of patients with adult Gaucher disease type I) 
 
Abdominal pain (18-67% of patients of patients with adult Gaucher disease type I) 
 
Tremor (11-30% of patients with adult Gaucher disease type I)  
 
Miglustat risk mitigation.  Risks of gastrointestinal side effects may be mitigated by 
implementation of a ketogenic diet that may minimize or reduce the severity of food-drug 
interactions between carbohydrates and miglustat. 
 
Anticipated risks of the ketogenic diet.  The ketogenic diet has been safely used in children and 
adults for many decades.28-30  Patients may experience constipation with use of the ketogenic 
diet, especially during the initiation phases of the ketogenic diet.  The ketogenic diet may also 
cause increased urination, and this could lead to dehydration.  Subjects may experience 
lethargy while transitioning to the ketogenic diet.  The lethargy often resolves once the patient is 
established on the ketogenic diet, but in some patients it may continue.  Patients should be 
monitored for hypoglycemia 2 to 3 times daily during the initiation of the ketogenic diet, more 
frequently during adjustments to the ketogenic diet, and then periodically after they are 
stabilized on the ketogenic diet, as deemed appropriate by the patient’s clinical ketogenic diet 
team.  A very rare occurrence of kidney stones in patients using the ketogenic diet has raised a 
concern about the possibility of an increase in risk of kidney stone development.28-30  Increased 
risk of kidney stones has been associated with anti-seizure medications that have carbonic 
anhydrase inhibiting action, such as acetazolamide and topiramate.31  Some patients have 
experienced a transient increase in seizures during the initiation of the ketogenic diet.28-30 
 
Risk mitigation of the ketogenic diet.  The ketogenic diet will be managed by a clinical ketogenic 
diet team that includes ketogenic dietician(s), neurologist, pharmacist and clinical geneticist, 
specially trained in the implementation and maintenance of the ketogenic diet.  The ketogenic 
dietitian will make recommendations for ordering of nutrition labs and lipid labs prior to 
beginning ketogenic diet and as clinically indicated (e.g. lipid panel, comprehensive metabolic 
panel, transferrin, pre-albumin, vitamin levels for vitamin D and the B vitamins).  Patients will be 
evaluated for signs of development of constipation or worsening of existing constipation, and will 
be treated as needed with medications for treatment/prevention of constipation.  Subjects will be 
monitored for signs of dehydration per ketogenic dietitian recommendation, and will be treated 
as needed with appropriate hydrating fluids per ketogenic dietitian's clinical management and 
recommendations.  Patients will also be monitored for signs of kidney stone development, such 
as signs of pain and/or difficulty urinating.  Use of anti-seizure medications with carbonic 
anhydrase inhibiting action will be minimized and avoided if possible.31 
 
There are no anticipated risks to investigators, lab personnel, and/or the environment. 
 
19.4  Adverse event reporting timeline.   
 
 Within 24 hours (of learning of the event), investigators must report any reportable Serious 
Adverse Event (SAE) that: 


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o 
Is considered life-threatening/disabling or results in death of participant 
-OR- 
o 
Is Unexpected/Unanticipated  
 Investigators must report all other reportable SAEs within 5 working days (of learning of the 
event). 
 All other (suspected) reportable AEs must be reported to the Rare Diseases Clinical 
Research Network (RDCRN) within 20 working days of the notification of the event or of the 
site becoming aware of the event. 
 
Local institutional reporting requirements to IRBs and the FDA remain the responsibility of the 
site investigator and the Study Chair. 
 
19.5  RDCRN Adverse Event Data Management System (AEDAMS).  Upon entry of a serious 
adverse event by the site investigator, the DMCC-created Adverse Event Data Management 
System (AEDAMS) will immediately notify the Study Chair, the site PI, and the Medical Review 
Officer of any reported adverse events via e-mail.  
 
Serious adverse events.  The NIH appointed Medical Review Officer (MRO) determines 
causality (definitely not related, probably not related, possibly related, probably related, 
definitely related) of the adverse event.  The MRO may request further information if necessary 
and possibly request changes to the protocol or consent form as a consequence of the adverse 
event.  A back-up notification system is in place so that any delays in review by the MRO 
beyond a specified period of time are forwarded to a secondary reviewer.  The Adverse Event 
Data Management System (AEDAMS) maintains audit trails and stores data (and data updated) 
and communication related to any adverse event in the study.  
 
Non-serious expected adverse events.  Except those listed above as immediately reportable, 
non-serious expected adverse events that are reported to or observed by the investigator or a 
member of his research team will be submitted to the DMCC in a timely fashion (within 20 
working days).  The events will be presented in tabular form and given to the MRO on an annual 
basis or as requested.  Local site investigators are also required to fulfill all reporting 
requirements of their local institutions. 
 
The DMCC will post aggregate reports of all adverse events (serious/not serious and expected, 
unexpected) for site investigators and IRBs. 
 
19.6 Unanticipated Problem Reporting. The Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) 
considers unanticipated problems involving risks to subjects or others to include, in general, any 
incident, experience, or outcome that meets all of the following criteria: 
• unexpected in terms of nature, severity, or frequency given  
 
(a) the research procedures that are described in the protocol-related documents, 
such as the IRB-approved research protocol and informed consent document; and  
 
(b) the characteristics of the subject population being studied; 
• related or possibly related to participation in the research (“possibly related” means there 
is a reasonable possibility that the incident, experience, or outcome may have been 
caused by the procedures involved in the research); and 
• suggests that the research places subjects or others at a greater risk of harm (including 
physical, psychological, economic, or social harm) than was previously known or 
recognized. 
 


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Per the definition, only a subset of adverse events would be characterized as unanticipated 
problems. There are other types of incidents, experiences, and outcomes that are not 
considered adverse events, but are characterized as unanticipated problems (e.g., breach of 
confidentiality or other incidents involving social or economic harm). 
 
Incidents or events that meet the OHRP criteria for unanticipated problems are to be reported to 
the IRB, per local institutional reporting requirements. Local institutional reporting requirements 
to IRBs, any GCRC oversight committee and the FDA, if appropriate, remain the responsibility 
of the treating physician and the Study Chair. 
 
20.0  Anticipated Risks 
 
20.1  Anticipated risks of miglustat.23   Potential risks to subjects include the following adverse 
drug events: 
 
In clinical trials of miglustat in children with gangliosidoses, miglustat demonstrated an 
acceptable safety profile for use in young children.  The most common side effects reported 
were diarrhea and weight loss.  These gastrointestinal side effects of miglustat may be 
prevented or ameliorated by using a low-carbohydrate diet. 
In clinical trials of adult patients with Gaucher disease type I, commonly reported side effects of 
miglustat included:  
 
Diarrhea (up to 100% of patients of patients with adult Gaucher disease type I) 
 
Flatulence (29-50% of patients of patients with adult Gaucher disease type I) 
 
Weight loss (39-67% of patients of patients with adult Gaucher disease type I) 
 
Abdominal pain (18-67% of patients of patients with adult Gaucher disease type I) 
 
Tremor (11-30% of patients with adult Gaucher disease type I)  
 
20.2  Miglustat risk mitigation.  Risks of gastrointestinal side effects may be mitigated by 
implementation of a ketogenic diet that may minimize or reduce the severity of food-drug 
interactions between carbohydrates and miglustat. 
 
20.3  Anticipated risks of the ketogenic diet.  The ketogenic diet has been safely used in 
children and adults for many decades.28-30  Patients may experience constipation with use of the 
ketogenic diet, especially during the initiation phases of the ketogenic diet.  The ketogenic diet 
may also cause increased urination, and this could lead to dehydration.  Subjects may 
experience lethargy while transitioning to the ketogenic diet.  The lethargy often resolves once 
the patient is established on the ketogenic diet, but in some patients it may continue.  Patients 
should be monitored for hypoglycemia 2 to 3 times daily during the initiation of the ketogenic 
diet, more frequently during adjustments to the ketogenic diet, and then periodically after they 
are stabilized on the ketogenic diet, as deemed appropriate by the patient’s clinical ketogenic 
diet team.  A very rare occurrence of kidney stones in patients using the ketogenic diet has 
raised a concern about the possibility of an increase in risk of kidney stone development.28-30  
Increased risk of kidney stones has been associated with anti-seizure medications that have 
carbonic anhydrase inhibiting action, such as acetazolamide and topiramate.31  Some patients 
have experienced a transient increase in seizures during the initiation of the ketogenic diet.28-30 
 
20.4  Risk mitigation of the ketogenic diet.  The ketogenic diet will be managed by a clinical 
ketogenic diet team that includes ketogenic dietician(s), neurologist, pharmacist and clinical 
geneticist, specially trained in the implementation and maintenance of the ketogenic diet.  The 


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ketogenic dietitian will make recommendations for ordering of nutrition labs and lipid labs prior 
to beginning ketogenic diet and as clinically indicated (e.g. lipid panel, comprehensive metabolic 
panel, transferrin, pre-albumin, vitamin levels for vitamin D and the B vitamins).  Patients will be 
evaluated for signs of development of constipation or worsening of existing constipation, and will 
be treated as needed with medications for treatment/prevention of constipation.  Subjects will be 
monitored for signs of dehydration per ketogenic dietitian recommendation, and will be treated 
as needed with appropriate hydrating fluids per ketogenic dietitian's clinical management and 
recommendations.  Patients will also be monitored for signs of kidney stone development, such 
as signs of pain and/or difficulty urinating.  Use of anti-seizure medications with carbonic 
anhydrase inhibiting action will be minimized and avoided if possible.31 
 
There are no anticipated risks to investigators, lab personnel, and/or the environment. 
 
21.0  Study Discontinuation  
 
21.1  Discontinuation rules.  The NIH and the University of Minnesota IRB have the authority to 
stop or suspend this study at any time.  Additionally, the following study discontinuation rules 
apply: 
1) That the rate of severe adverse events is such that continued participation would 
compromise subject safety.   
2) Target subject accrual has not met, and cannot meet trial objectives. 
 
21.2  Participant discontinuation.  All data acquired prior to termination for the reasons outlined 
below will be included in the primary analysis unless patient withdraws consent.  Every effort will 
be made to conduct a final study visit with the participant, and participants will be followed 
clinically until, if applicable, all adverse events resolve.  Participant discontinuation in this study 
will occur for the following reasons: 
  
 
Participants who develop kidney function problems while in this study will be withdrawn 
from this study. 
 
Females who are able to become pregnant, and who are sexually active, must use a 
highly effective birth-control method to prevent pregnancy while in this study.  If a 
participant becomes pregnant while in this study, they will be withdrawn from this study. 
 
If a patient develops bleeding due to low platelets while in this study, treatment with 
miglustat will be stopped. 
 
If a patient develops severe diarrhea and/or weight loss that cannot be managed by 
changing the ketogenic diet formula or lowering the miglustat dose, the patient will be 
removed from the study. 
 
Withdrawal of consent 
 
Withdrawal by the participant 
 
Withdrawal of the participant by the Investigator(s)  (If a subject experiences an adverse 
effect from the treatment medication, dose reduction adjustments will be made to the 
medication, or the subject will be withdrawn from the study, if indicated.) 
 
22.0  Data Quality and Monitoring Measures 
 
 
Data Monitoring: The RDCRN DMCC identifies missing or unclear data and generates a 
data query to the consortium administrator contact.  
 
Data Delinquency Tracking: The DMCC will monitor data delinquency on an ongoing 
basis.   


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22.1  Missing data.  Despite best efforts to avoid missing data, it is possible that some will occur 
and will be a potential limitation to the interpretation and generalizability of results.  In particular, 
missing data may arise for non-survival outcomes (e.g. neurocognitive function data) in the 
event of death.  For these instances, it is unclear whether a complete-case analysis (i.e. 
excluding patients who die) would be unbiased, and therefore would be unsatisfactory.  It is also 
unclear what would be an appropriate magnitude of discount, to satisfactorily represent the 
negative outcome of death.  By conducting both the complete-case analysis (unbiased if death 
is independent of the non-survival outcome), and an analysis with an imputed value for 
instances of death (intention-to-treat type of analysis), the potential magnitude of treatment 
effect will be better characterized. 
 
Missing data may also arise from “lost to follow-up.”  The last-observation-carried-forward 
imputation will be used to satisfy this type of missing data.  Sensitivity analyses to evaluate the 
extent to which results are dependent on the approach to missing data will be conducted, 
wherein multiple imputations will also be considered.  
 
23.0  Data Management 
 
As much as possible data quality is assessed at the data entry point using intelligent online data 
entry via Visual Basic-designed screen forms.  Data collection will initially be collected on paper 
forms and then subjected to checking and rescoring by the individual collecting the data.  
Following this, data will be entered online to the DMCC database.  At the University of 
Minnesota, data will be entered by the individual collecting the data as well as by our research 
staff.  
 
All study data will be collected via systems created in collaboration with the RDCRN DMCC and 
will comply with all applicable guidelines regarding patient confidentiality and data integrity.   
 
23.1  Participant registration.  Registration of participants on this protocol will employ an 
interactive data system in which the clinical site will attest to the participant’s eligibility as per 
protocol criteria and obtain appropriate informed consent.  IRB approval for the protocol must be 
on file at the DMCC before accrual can occur from the clinical site. 
 
The DMCC will use a system of coded identifiers to protect participant confidentiality and 
safety.  Each participant enrolled will be assigned a local identifier by the enrollment site.  This 
number can be a combination of the site identifier (location code) and a serial accession 
number.  Only the registering site will have access to the linkage between this number and the 
personal identifier of the subject.  When the participant is registered to participate in the study, 
using the DMCC provided web-based registration system, the system will assign a participant ID 
number.  Thus each participant will have two codes: the local one that can be used by the 
registering site to obtain personal identifiers and a second code assigned by the DMCC.  For all 
data input to the DMCC both numbers will be required to uniquely identify the subject.  In this 
fashion, it is possible to protect against data keying errors, digit transposition or other mistakes 
when identifying a participant for data entry, since the numbers should match to properly identify 
the participant.  In this fashion, no personal identifiers would be accessible to the DMCC.  


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23.2  Data entry.  Data entry for this study will be accomplished with online electronic case 
report forms (CRFs).  Using encrypted communication links, online forms will be developed that 
contain the requisite data fields.   
23.3  Data quality control.  As much as possible data quality is assessed at the data entry point. 
Data element constraints, whether independent range and/or format limitations or 'relative' 
referential integrity limitations, can be enforced by all methods employed for data input.  QA 
reports assess data quality post-data entry.  As we note, data quality begins with the design of 
the data collection forms and procedures and incorporates reasonable checks to minimize 
transcription and omission errors.  The more important quality assurance measures are the 
internal validity checks for reasonableness and consistency.  In addition to those described 
above, we propose to build these checks into the initial tables and cross tabulations that should 
reveal any remaining data quality issues. 
 
23.4  Study records retention.  Study records will be maintained for a minimum of two years 
following the conclusion of the study. 
 
23.5  Protocol deviations.  Protocol deviations for this study will be reported per local 
Institutional guidelines and reporting requirements. 
 
24.0  Human Subjects 
 
24.1  GCP statement.  This clinical trial will be conducted in accordance with the ethical 
principles that have their origin in the Declaration of Helsinki, and that are consistent with Good 
Clinical Practice and all applicable regulatory requirements. 
 
24.2  Risks.  The potential risks of this study are:  
 
By participating in this study the subjects will run a slight risk of loss of privacy.  The research 
team will make every effort to protect the subjects by making all of the data that the research 
team will take from the subjects' records anonymous by identifying it only with a number.  
Researchers will remove information such as name, address, and phone number, and replace 
that information with a code number.  Only the research investigators will be able to identify 
which data belong to a given subject; thus the risk is minimal.   
 
None of the neuropsychological tests are in any way harmful for participants, although they may 
be fatiguing.  No embarrassing questions or sensitive stimuli will be used in the 
neuropsychological testing. 
 
24.3  Benefits.  Studies of miglustat in infantile, juvenile and adult gangliosidoses have 
demonstrated safety, but do not show significant clinical improvement. 23-25   At the University of 
Minnesota, neuropsychiatric evaluations have shown improvement in some assessed domains 
for gangliosidosis patients using the goal miglustat dose and the ketogenic diet.  Seizure 
frequency and severity have improved in all the patients; preliminary results suggest further 
improvement may be possible with the combination of miglustat and the ketogenic diet. 
 
The ketogenic diet may provide benefits for patients with gangliosidoses by the following 
mechanisms: 
1) Minimize or reduce the severity of food-drug interactions between miglustat and 
carbohydrates 


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2) Reduce seizure activity 
3) Increase the bioavailability of miglustat to the central nervous system. 
 
24.4  Recruitment.  Patient recruitment is limited by availability of such patients.  All individuals 
with these disorders will be considered.  Disorders may be unevenly prevalent in Ashkenazi 
Jews, French Canadians, Louisiana Cajuns, and certain old-order Amish. All ethnic and racial 
groups will be recruited.                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                     
24.5  Written and informed consent.  Written informed consent will be obtained from each 
participant before the subject undergoes any study-specific procedures or assessments and 
after the aims, methods, anticipated benefits, and potential hazards are explained.  The 
participant’s willingness to participate in the study will be documented in writing in a consent 
form, which will be signed by the participant with the date of that signature indicated.  The 
investigator will keep the original consent forms and signed copies will be given to the 
participants.  It will also be explained to the participants that they are free to refuse entry into the 
study and free to withdraw from the study at any time without prejudice to future treatment.  
Written and/or oral information about the study in a language understandable by the participant 
will be given to all participants. 
24.6  Process of consent.  At the University of Minnesota the following (from our IRB) will be 
explained to the patient by an approved member of the research team: consent and assent 
forms will be given to potential participants prior to enrollment so that they have ample time to 
review the information and ask questions about the study.  Forms can be mailed to the 
individuals in advance of their participation so that they can read and ask any questions before 
considering participating.  Investigators will ensure that the participant or their legally authorized 
representative understand the information provided and obtain informed consent.  The 
consenting process will be thoroughly documented in the participants’ research charts. 
 
24.7  Certificate of Confidentiality.  To help protect participant privacy, a Letter of Confidentiality 
has been obtained from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  With this Certificate, the 
researchers cannot be forced to disclose information that may identify a study participant, even 
by a court subpoena, in any federal, state, or local civil, criminal, administrative, legislative, or 
other proceedings.  The researchers will use the Certificate to resist any demands for 
information that would identify a participant, except as explained below. 
 
The Certificate cannot be used to resist a demand for information from personnel of the United 
States Government that is used for auditing or evaluation of Federally funded projects or for 
information that must be disclosed in order to meet the requirements of the federal Food and 
Drug Administration (FDA). 
 
Even with the Certificate of Confidentiality, the investigators continue to have ethical obligations 
to report child abuse or neglect and to prevent an individual from carrying out any threats to do 
serious harm to themselves or others.  If keeping information private would immediately put the 
study participant or someone else in danger, the investigators would release information to 
protect the participant or another person. 
 
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) personnel may request identifying 
information for purposes of performing audits, carrying out investigations of DHHS grant 
recipients, or evaluating DHHS funded research projects. 
  


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25.0 References 
 
1. Sarafoglou K, Hoffmann GF, Roth KS. Pediatric Endocrinology and Inborn Errors of 
Metabolism.  New York: McGraw-Hill Company, 2009; p 721-725, 738-740, 744-745. 
2. Meikle PJ, Hopwood JJ, Clague AE, Carey WF. Prevalence of lysosomal storage disorders. 
JAMA. 1999;281(3):249-254.  PMID: 9918480. 
3. Kaback, MM, Desnick RJ. GeneReviews: Hexosaminidase A Deficiency (Initial Posting: 
March 11, 1999; Last Update: August 11, 2011). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1218/.  
[Accessed 2015-02-23]  
4. National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association. Tay-Sachs Disease. 
www.ntsad.org/index.php/the-diseases/tay-sachs.  [Accessed 2015-02-17] 
5. Rapin I, Suzuki K, Suzuki K, Valsamis MP. Adult (chronic) GM2 gangliosidosis. Atypical 
spinocerebellar degeneration in a Jewish sibship. Arch Neurol. 1976;33(2):120-130.  PMID: 
175770. 
6. Barranger J, Caberera-Salazar M.  Lysosomal Storage Disorders. New York: Springer 
Publishing Company, 2007; p 217-268. 
7. http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?Expert=354  [Accessed 2015-08-06] 
8. Jeyakamar M, Butters TD, Dwek RA, Platt FM. Glycosphingolipid lysosomal storage 
diseases: therapy and pathogenesis. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol (2002) 28(5):343-357.  PMID: 
12366816. 
9. Bley AE, Giannikopoulos OA, Hayden D, Kubilus K, Tifft C, Eichler FS. Natural history of 
infantile GM2 gangliosidosis. Pediatrics (2011) 128(5):e1233-41. Epub 2011 Oct 24.  PMCID: 
PMC3208966. 
10. Nalini A, Christopher R. Cerebral glycolipidoses: clinical characteristics of 41 pediatric 
patients. J Child Neurol (2004) 19(6):447-452.  PMID: 15446395. 
11. Maegawa GH, Stockley T, Tropak M, Banwell B, Blaser S, Kok F, Giugliani R, Mahuran D, 
Clarke JT. The natural history of juvenile or subacute GM2 gangliosidosis: 21 new cases and 
literature review of 134 previously reported. Pediatrics (2006) 118(5):e1550-1562. Epub 2006 
Oct 2.  PMCID: PMC2910078.  Erratum in: Pediatrics (2007) 120(4):936. 
12. Smith NJ, Winstone AM, Stellitano L, Cox TM, Verity CM.  GM2 gangliosidosis in a UK study 
of children with progressive neurodegeneration: 73 cases reviewed. Dev Med Child Neurol 
(2012) 54(2):176-182, Epub 2011 Nov 24.  PMID: 22115551. 
13. Neudorfer O, Pastores GM, Zeng BJ, Gianutsos J, Zaroff CM, Kolodny EH.  Late-onset Tay-
Sachs disease: phenotypic characterization and genotypic correlations in 21 affected patients. 
Genet Med (2005) 7(2):119-123.  PMID: 15714079. 
14. Zaroff CM, Neudorfer O, Morrison C, Pastores GM, Rubin H, Kolodny EH.  
Neuropsychological assessment of patients with late-onset GM2 gangliosidosis. Neurology 
(2004) 62(12):2283-2286.  PMID: 15210895. 
15. MacQueen GM, Rosebush PI, Mazurek MF. Neuropsychiatric aspects of the adult variant of 
Tay-Sachs disease. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1997;10(1):10-19.  PMID: 9547461. 
16. Frey LC, Ringel SP, Filley CM. The natural history of cognitive dysfunction in late-onset 
GM2 gangliosidosis. Arch Neurol. 2005;62(6):989-994.  PMID: 15956171. 
17. Navon R, Argov A, Frisch A. Hexosaminidase A deficiency in adults. Am J Med Genet. 
1986;24(1):179-196.  PMID: 2939718. 
18. Schmahmann JD, Sherman JC. The cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome.  Brain. 
1998;121:561-579.  PMID: 9577385. 
19. Grosso S, Farnetani MA, Berardi R, Margollicci M, Galluzzi P, Vivarelli R, Morgese G, 
Ballestri P. GM2 gangliosidosis variant B1 neuroradiological findings. J Neurol (2003) 250(1): 
17-21.  PMID: 12527987. 


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20. Treiber A, Morand O, Clozel M.  The pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of the 
glucosylceramide synthase inhibitor miglustat in the rat.  Xenobiotica (2007) 37(3):298-314.  
PMID: 17624027. 
21. Ashe KM, Bangari D, Li L, Cabrera-Salazar MA, Bercury SD, Nietupski JB, Cooper CG, 
Aerts JM, Lee ER, Copeland DP, Cheng SH, Scheule RK, Marshall J.  Iminosugar-based 
inhibitors of glucosylceramide synthase increase brain glycosphingolipids and survival in a 
mouse model of Sandhoff disease. PLoS One (2011) 6(6):e21758.  Epub 2011 Jun 29.  PMCID: 
PMC3126858. 
22. Denny CA, Heinecke KA, Kim YP, Baek RC, Loh KS, Butters TD, Bronson RT, Platt FM, 
Seyfried TN.  Restricted ketogenic diet enhances the therapeutic action of N-butyldeoxy- 
nojirimycin towards brain GM2 accumulation in adult Sandhoff disease mice.   J Neurochem 
(2010) 113(6):1525-1535.  Epub 2010 Apr 3.  PMID: 20374428. 
23. Bembi B, Marchetti F, Guerci VI, Ciana G, Addobbati R, Grasso D, Barone R, Cariati R, 
Fernandez-Guillen L, Butters T, Pittis MG.  Substrate reduction therapy in the infantile form of 
Tay-Sachs disease.  Neurology (2006) 66(2):278-280.  PMID: 16434676. 
24. Maegawa GH, van Giersbergen PL, Yang S, Banwell B, Morgan CP, Dingemanse J, Tifft 
CJ, Clarke JT.  Pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerability of miglustat in the treatment of pediatric 
patients with GM2 gangliosidosis.  Mol Genet Metab (2009) 97(4):284-291.  Epub 2009 May 3.  
PMID: 19447653. 
25. Shapiro BE, Pastores GM, Gianutsos J, Luzy C, Kolodny EH. Miglustat in late-onset Tay-
Sachs disease: a 12-month, randomized, controlled clinical study with 24 months of extended 
treatment. Genet Med (2009) 11(6):425-433.  PMID: 19346952. 
26. Zavesca® (miglustat) full prescribing information.  www.zavesca.com. [Accessed  
2015-04-17] 
27. Belmatoug N, Burlina A, Giraldo P, Hendriksz CJ, Kuter DJ, Mengel E, Pastores GM. 
Gastrointestinal disturbances and their management in miglustat-treated patients. J Inherit 
Metab Dis (2011) 34(5):991-1001.  Epub 2011 Jul 21.  PMID: 21779792. 
28. Zupec-Kania BA, Spellman E. An overview of the ketogenic diet for pediatric epilepsy. Nutr 
Clin Pract (2008) 23(6):589-596.  PMID: 19033218. 
29. Zupec-Kania BA, Aldaz V, Montgomery ME, Kostas KC. Enteral and parenteral applications 
of ketogenic diet therapy: experiences from four centers. Infant Child Adolesc Nutr (2011) 
3(5):274-281.  Not listed in PubMed. 
30. Kossoff EH, Zupec-Kania BA, Amark PE, Ballaban-Gil KR, Christina Bergqvist AG, 
Blackford R, Buchhalter JR, Caraballo RH, Helen Cross J, Dahlin MG, Donner EJ, Klepper J, 
Jehle RS, Kim HD, Christiana Liu YM, Nation J, Nordli DR Jr, Pfeifer HH, Rho JM, Stafstrom 
CE, Thiele EA, Turner Z, Wirrell EC, Wheless JW, Veggiotti P, Vining EP, Charlie Foundation, 
Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society, International Ketogenic Diet Study Group.  
Optimal clinical management of children receiving the ketogenic diet: recommendations of the 
International Ketogenic Diet Study Group.  Epilepsia (2009) 50(2):304-317.  Epub 2008 Sep 23.  
PMID: 18823325. 
31.  Servais A, Daudon M, Knebelman B. Drug-induced renal calculi.  Annales d Urologie (2006) 
40(2):57-68.  Article in French only. 
 
 


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26.0 Appendices and Attachments 
26.1  Appendix 1: Informed Consent Forms 
Informed Consent documents will accompany this submission, but they are not attached to, nor 
a part of this Protocol. 
26.2  Appendix 2: Neuropsychological Testing Quality Control 
1. Neuropsychologists are in possession of all tests and are familiar with administration of 
each test. 
2. Ensure that tests administered are carried out according to specific test instructions.  
Experienced examiners are available for consultation if there are any questions about 
administration approaches.  
3. When testing is complete, age-equivalent scores will be recorded. 
 
Data will be input on the online case report forms (CRFs) in the DMCC database using 
patient identification numbers assigned by Evelyn Redtree, University of Minnesota 
Research Coordinator. 

ICF_001.pdf: 
Approved for use by UMN IRB
Effective on 10/2/2018
IRB Study Number: 1311M46101
IRB # 1311M46101
Version Date: 13-November-2017
Approval Date: 
1 of 6
Synergistic Enteral Regimen for Treatment of the Gangliosidoses  
(Syner-G)
Parental/Guardian Informed Consent for Child
Your child is being invited to participate in a research study to evaluate a combination therapy 
using miglustat and a ketogenic diet for treatment of the gangliosidoses to learn if this 
combination therapy approach will provide improved clinical outcomes compared to what we 
currently know about the natural course of the disease.  He/She was selected as a possible 
participant because they have either GM1 gangliosidosis, Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff 
disease, or other gangliosidosis disease. We ask that you read this form and ask any questions 
you may have before agreeing to allow your child to be in the study.  We anticipate enrolling a 
total of 30 infants or children who have been diagnosed with a gangliosidosis disease.
This study is being conducted by Dr. Jeanine Jarnes, PharmD, BCOP, BCPS, University of 
Minnesota, Fairview; and Dr. Chester Whitley, Ph.D., M.D., University of Minnesota, Department 
of Pediatrics.
Study Purpose
The purpose of the study is to determine if a combination therapy using miglustat and the 
ketogenic diet for patients with a gangliosidosis disease will: 
1) Improve overall survival for patients with infantile and juvenile gangliosidoses compared 
to previous studies of the natural history of the disease.
2) Improve neurodevelopmental clinical outcomes of therapy compared to previous studies 
of the natural history of the disease.
Miglustat is not approved for treatment of gangliosidosis diseases, but has been used in this 
patient population (as outlined in the risks section).  This drug is being used because it has 
been shown to inhibit the production of glycosphingolipids (a substance that builds up in the 
cells).
 
The ketogenic diet is indicated for management of seizures in patients with seizure disorders.  
In this study, the ketogenic diet will be used to minimize or reduce severity of gastrointestinal 
side effects of miglustat and improve response to miglustat therapy.  Patients with infantile and 
juvenile gangliosidoses commonly suffer from seizure disorders and use of the ketogenic diet in 
these patients may therefore also improve seizure management.
Study Procedures
If you agree to allow your child to participate in this study, we would ask you to do the following:

Blood draws: Blood samples would be needed before starting the therapy and again at 
months 1, 3, 6 and 12 months and then every 6 months until the study is completed.  
Urine ketones and blood glucose will be checked daily to weekly, as needed, during 
transition to ketogenic diet, and then a minimum of once weekly when the patient is fully 
transitioned to the ketogenic diet. 

Miglustat (also known as Zavesca®) will be used to reduce the amount of ganglioside 
accumulation in the child’s cells.  The dose of miglustat will increase every 2 weeks until 
your child reaches the goal dose for his/her body surface area (BSA).  It will take 
approximately 6 to 12 weeks to reach the full dose of miglustat.  This dose titration 
process may take longer if the child needs more time to adjust to each dose level. 


Approved for use by UMN IRB
Effective on 10/2/2018
IRB Study Number: 1311M46101
IRB # 1311M46101
Version Date: 13-November-2017
Approval Date: 
2 of 6

This drug comes as a capsule.  The contents of the capsule will be dissolved in water 
prior to administration.  You will be taught how to prepare this mixture.  You will give 
your child this medication by mouth or through their feeding tube on a very strict 
schedule starting at 1X per day for 2 weeks, then 2X per day for 2 weeks, then 
increasing the dose to 3X per day. The dose will be increased every 2 weeks until the 
goal dose is reached for your child's body surface area (calculated by a formula that 
uses the child's weight and height).  A member of the study staff will contact you at least 
once weekly during the time when your child is slowly increasing the miglustat dose, to 
check on how the child is tolerating the miglustat and to help answer questions you may 
have.  If your child is having diarrhea, reflux, or flatulence with signs of discomfort due to 
abdominal cramping, then we will need to reduce the miglustat dose to a level at which 
your child shows none of the above gastrointestinal symptoms; and escalate the 
miglustat dose more slowly.

Ketogenic Diet is a special diet that contains higher amounts of fat and lower amounts 
of carbohydrate compared to an average diet.  The goal is to have 4 parts of fat for every 
1 part of protein/carbohydrate.  You will work with a ketogenic diet team, that includes a 
ketogenic dietitian and neurologist, at your local clinic, to help your child to achieve this 
diet goal.  Your child will start with a diet that has 1 part fat and 1 part that contains 
protein and carbohydrate.  The fat part of the diet will be gradually increased by the 
ketogenic diet team until the goal of 4 parts fat to 1 part containing protein and 
carbohydrate is achieved.  

The purpose of this special diet is to help minimize or reduce the severity of 
gastrointestinal side effects of the miglustat and to help reduce seizures.  In a study of 
miglustat combined with a ketogenic diet in mice with a gangliosidosis disease, the 
combination of ketogenic diet with miglustat resulted in increased concentrations of 
miglustat in the central nervous system.  This study was in in mice and it is unknown if 
the ketogenic diet will help make the miglustat more effective in the central nervous 
system in children with gangliosidosis diseases.  The study staff will be in 
communication with your local ketogenic diet team to explain the purpose of the diet for 
your child and to help answer questions they may have.  The study staff will continue to 
be available to discuss the ketogenic diet with your local ketogenic diet team throughout 
the study. 
During this study, evaluations of your child's gangliosidosis will be completed at baseline and 
then every 12 months until the study is over in 5 years.  These evaluations will be completed at 
the University of Minnesota.  The standard evaluations include:

Neurodevelopmental testing to evaluate his/her neurodevelopmental status.  This 
testing will be done by a Pediatric Neuropsychologist who specializes in evaluating 
patients with gangliosidosis diseases.  The neurodevelopmental testing will take about 3-
4 hours.

Neurological evaluation by a neurologist at the University of Minnesota who works with 
the study staff to assess any seizures or movement disorders.  This takes about 1 hour.
 
Risks of Study Participation
By participating in this study your child runs a slight risk of loss of privacy.  We have made every 
effort to protect him/her by making all of the data that we will take from his/her medical records 
identifiable only with a number.  Only the physicians who are conducting this study will be able 
to identify which data is your child; thus the risk is minimal.  


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The study has the following risks: 

Blood draws can be uncomfortable and some people develop bruising from the 
procedure. There is a risk of infection but it is rare.

Miglustat:  In clinical trials and through experience using miglustat in children with 
gangliosidosis diseases, common side effects have included diarrhea, gas, abdominal 
pain, and constipation.  If used in conjunction with a very low-carbohydrate diet, the 
gastrointestinal side effects will be minimized or reduced.  In clinical trials of miglustat in 
adult patients with Gaucher disease type I, common side effects were abdominal pain 
(18-67%), constipation (8-25%), diarrhea (83-100%), flatulence (29-50%), vomiting (4-
11%), headache (21-22%), tremors (11-33%), weight loss (39-67%), dry mouth (up to 
8%), muscle cramp (up to 11%), leg cramp (4-11%), dizziness (up to 8%), and visual 
disturbances (up to 17%).  Another adverse event that was reported in clinical trial was a 
low platelet count (reported in 6%-7% of patients).  Low platelets can increase risk of 
bleeding.  There may be adverse effects of miglustat that are not anticipated.  You 
should report any new symptoms or adverse events that your child experiences while on 
this study.  You will be given a name and contact information to report adverse events 
and symptoms that your child may be experiencing. 

Ketogenic diet: The ketogenic diet can cause constipation. We will work with you and 
your ketogenic diet team to help manage constipation, should it occur.  The ketogenic 
diet may also cause increased urination, and this could lead to dehydration.  Your 
ketogenic diet team will work with you and your child to monitor the hydration status of 
your child.  Patients may experience lethargy while transitioning to the ketogenic diet. 
The lethargy often resolves once the patient is established on the ketogenic diet, but in 
some patients it may continue.  A rare adverse effect of the ketogenic diet is the 
development of kidney stones.  Anti-seizure medications that are classified as carbonic 
anhydrase inhibitors (e.g., acetazolamide, topiramate) have been associated with the 
development of kidney stones on rare occasions.  Patients using anti-seizure 
medications that are classified as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors may be at increased risk 
of development of kidney stones. Ensuring adequate hydration and avoiding use of anti-
seizure medications that are carbonic anhydrase inhibitors will help minimize risk of 
kidney stone formation.  The ketogenic diet team will work with you and your child to 
take measures to minimize risk of kidney stones.   
Benefits of Study Participation
It is unknown, at this time, what effect, if any, the Syner-G therapy will have on your child's 
gangliosidosis disease.
Alternatives to Study Participation
You may choose to have your child not participate in the Syner-G study.  If you decide not to 
have your child participate in the Syner-G study, you may continue to have your child evaluated 
and cared for by the clinicians who are care providers for this study.
Study Costs/Compensation
The evaluations and testing done during this study are part of the University of Minnesota’s 
standard care for patients with gangliosidosis.  The evaluations and testing provided during this 
study will be billed to the patient’s medical insurance provider in the usual manner.  Participation 
in this study also allows access to these records by the study team.   


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There is no compensation for study participation; however, funds may be available to offset the 
cost of travel to Minneapolis for study participation.
Research Related Injury
We do not expect any injury to occur due to study participation.  In the event that this research 
activity results in an injury, treatment will be available, including first aid, emergency treatment 
and follow-up care as needed.  Care for such injuries will be billed in the ordinary manner to you 
or your insurance company.  If you think that your child has suffered a research related injury, 
let the study staff know right away.
Confidentiality
The records of this study will be kept private. In any publications or presentations, we will not 
include any information that will make it possible to identify your child as a subject. His/her 
record for the study may, however, be reviewed by representatives of the Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and by departments at the University 
with appropriate regulatory oversight.  Your child’s test and exam results will be recorded in 
his/her medical record.
The clinical information collected for this study will be stored in a computer database at the Data 
Management and Coordinating Center (DMCC) at the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL, 
and also sent to a federal data repository.  A data repository provides a way for researchers to 
store the information collected during the research study for future research studies.  The data 
management center uses several layers of protection for the clinical data stored in its computer 
database.  It meets all of the local and federal security requirements for research datacenters.  
Your information is stored only using a study ID.
A description of this clinical trial will be available on http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov, as required by 
U.S. law.  This web site will not include information that could identify your child.  At most, the 
web site will include a summary of the results.  You can search this web site at any time.
Certificate of Confidentiality (If applicable)
Certificate of Confidentiality
To help us protect your privacy, we have obtained a Certificate of Confidentiality from the 
National Institutes of Health. With this Certificate, the researchers cannot be forced to disclose 
information that may identify you, even by a court subpoena, in any federal, state, or local civil, 
criminal, administrative, legislative, or other proceedings. The researchers will use the 
Certificate to resist any demands for information that would identify you, except as explained 
below.
The Certificate cannot be used to resist a demand for information from personnel of the United 
States Government that is used for auditing or evaluation of Federally funded projects or for 
information that must be disclosed in order to meet the requirements of the federal Food and 
Drug Administration (FDA). 
You should understand that a Certificate of Confidentiality does not prevent you or a member of 
your family from voluntarily releasing information about yourself or your involvement in this 
research. If an insurer, employer, or other person obtains your written consent to receive 
research information, then the researchers may not use the Certificate to withhold that 
information.
Even with the Certificate of Confidentiality, the investigators continue to have ethical obligations 
to report child abuse or neglect and to prevent you from carrying out any threats to do serious 


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harm to yourself or others. If keeping information private would immediately put you or someone 
else in danger, the investigators would release information to protect you or another person.
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) personnel may request identifying 
information for purposes of performing audits, carrying out investigations of DHHS grant 
recipients, or evaluating DHHS funded research projects. 
We may publish what we learn from this study.  If we do, we will not publish your name.  
Protected Health Information (PHI)
Your child’s PHI created or received for the purposes of this study is protected under the federal 
regulation known as HIPAA.  Refer to the attached HIPAA authorization for details concerning 
the use of this information. 
Voluntary Nature of the Study
Participation in this study is voluntary. Your decision whether or not to allow your child to 
participate in this study will not affect his/her current or future relations with the University, 
Masonic Children’s Hospital and Clinics, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview 
Pharmacy or Clinics. If you decide to allow your child to participate, he/she is free to withdraw at 
any time without affecting those relationships.  If during the course of this research study there 
are significant new findings discovered which might influence your decision to continue, the 
researchers will inform you of those developments.
Other Reasons for Stopping the Study  

Participants who develop kidney function problems while in this study will be withdrawn 
from this study.

Females who are able to become pregnant, and who are sexually active, must use a 
highly effective birth-control method to prevent pregnancy while in this study.  If a 
participant becomes pregnant while in this study, they will be withdrawn from this study.

If a patient develops bleeding due to low platelets while in this study, treatment with 
miglustat will be stopped.

If a patient develops severe diarrhea and/or weight loss that cannot be managed by 
changing the ketogenic diet formula or lowering the miglustat dose, the patient will be 
removed from the study. 
Contacts and Questions
The researchers conducting this study are Dr. Jeanine Jarnes, PharmD, and Dr. Chester 
Whitley, PhD, MD.  You or your child/ward may ask any questions you have now, or if you have 
questions later, you are encouraged to contact them at: 
Jeanine Jarnes, PharmD___________________________________________(612) 626-5131
Chester Whitley, Ph.D., M.D.____________________________________  (612) 625-7422
MMC 446
420 Delaware St. SE
Minneapolis, MN  55455
If you or your child/ward have any questions or concerns regarding the study and would like to 
talk to someone other than the researcher(s), you are encouraged to contact the Fairview 
Research Helpline at telephone number 612-672-7692 or toll free at 866-508-6961.  You may 


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also contact this office in writing or in person at Fairview Research Administration, 2344 Energy 
Park Drive, St. Paul, MN  55108.
You will be given a copy of this form to keep for your records.
Statement of Consent
You are making a decision whether or not to allow your child to participate in this study.  Your 
signature indicates that you have read the above information, have received answers to any 
additional questions you may have had, and have decided to allow him/her to participate.  
Should you choose to discontinue your child’s participation in the study, he/she may withdraw at 
any time without prejudice after signing this form.
I have read the above information.  I have asked questions and have received answers.  I 
consent to participate in the study. 
Printed Name of Subject_______________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________Date_________________
Signature of Parent or Guardian
_______________________________________________________Date_________________
Signature of Person Obtaining Consent
_______________________________________________________
Printed Name of Person Obtaining Consent


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Assent Form
Synergistic Enteral Regimen for Treatment of the Gangliosidoses  
(Syner-G)
You are invited be a part of a study to see if an experimental drug will help with your 
gangliosidosis condition.  You have been invited to join our study because you have been 
diagnosed with a gangliosidoses condition (GM1 gangliosidosis, Tay-Sachs disease, or 
Sandhoff disease).  To complete this study we will need to look at information in your medical 
record.
As part of this study, you will be asked to be on a special diet called a ketogenic diet, and to 
take miglustat, an experimental medication, 3 times daily.  Although miglustat is an FDA-
approved medication, it is not FDA approved for treatment of gangliosidosis diseases, and for 
this reason miglustat is considered an investigational agent for this study.  Miglustat has been 
used in patients with gangliosidosis prior to this study, but its use in combination with a 
ketogenic diet has not been studied in the past.
As part of this study, you will have extra doctor visits and extra blood samples drawn for labs.  
These extra doctor visits and labs will occur every 3 months during the first year of the study 
and then every 6 months for 4 more years. 
You will also be asked to meet with a doctor once a year to answer a set of questions that 
allows us to measure your ability to do certain things, such as getting dressed by yourself and 
buttoning a shirt.  These tests will take about 3 to 4 hours to complete.  You will be able to take 
as many breaks as you need.  The questions asked will not hurt and we will not ask anything 
personal or embarrassing. 
Side effects of the medication can occur and can include nausea, diarrhea (loose, runny stools), 
and weight loss.  Using the special diet will help reduce the severity of these side effects. 
Side effects of the special diet can include tiredness.  Side effects of the diet can also include 
constipation.  Your doctors and dietitian will work with you to help reduce and manage side 
effects.  It is possible that side effects will occur that were not expected.  It is important that you 
let your parents and study doctor know if you are having a side effect while in this study.
Your parent or guardian will say it is okay for you to be in this study, but we will not make you 
join our study if you do not want to join.  You can ask us any questions about the study that you 
want at any time.
Being in this study is up to you.  No one will be mad at you or upset if you do not want to be in 
the study.  If you decide to enroll in the study you can stop at any time for any reason.  
Regardless of whether or not you decide to be in the study, your relationship with your doctors 
will not change.
Reasons for Stopping the Study
If your kidney function worsens during the study, your doctor will tell you and will stop the 
miglustat.  
If you become pregnant during the study, the miglustat will be stopped.
If you have bleeding or bruising that is severe and is caused by low platelets, the miglustat will 
be stopped. 
The doctors working with you on this study will tell you if you need to stop the study due to side 
effects that may occur.


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If you are sexually active you will need to use a very effective form of birth control during this 
study in order to prevent pregnancy.  Examples of effective contraception include the female 
partner using a form of a steroid contraceptive agent (oral steroid contraception or intrauterine 
implanted steroid contraception such as Mirena®), and the male partner using a condom.  Both 
the female and male partner need to use contraception. 
Signing here means that you have read this paper or listened to someone read it to you, and 
you are willing to be in the study.  If you don't want to be in the study, then don't sign.  
Remember, being in the study is up to you, and no one will be upset with you if you don't sign 
this, or even if you change your mind later. 
Participant’s signature _________________________________________ 
Date_______________
Print participant’s name: ________________________________________
Signature of person explaining study: ______________________________ 
Date______________
Title of person explaining study:  __________________________________


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IRB Study # 1311M46101
Version date: 13-November-2017
IRB Approval Date: 
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Information Sheet for Minors
Synergistic Enteral Regimen for Treatment of the 
Gangliosidoses
(Syner-G)
This study is to see if a special medication will help with the management of your 
gangliosidosis condition.  You were selected because you have been diagnosed with a 
gangliosidoses condition (GM1 gangliosidosis, Tay-Sachs disease, or Sandhoff 
disease).  To complete this study we will need to look at information in your medical 
record.
This study will last 5 years.  You will take a medication called miglustat and go on a 
special diet.  We will draw blood from your arm once a year at each yearly visit.  Your 
urine will be checked very often, sometimes daily but at least weekly, for 5 years using a 
urine testing kit that can be used at home.
Your mom or dad will say if it is okay for you to be in this study.  You can ask us any 
questions about the study that you want at any time.
Print participant’s name: __________________________________