Clinical trial NCT01545323: Gene Therapy for Netherton Syndrome
Official title: Phase I Study of Ex-vivo Lentiviral Gene Therapy for the Inherited Skin Disease Netherton Syndrome
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: PHASE1
Conditions: Netherton Syndrome
Keywords: Netherton syndrome
Gene therapy
SPINK5
Lead sponsor: Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2012-03-06
Enrollment: 5
Sex: ALL
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Netherton Syndrome is a serious skin disorder caused by damage in a gene called SPINK5. This gene controls the formation of a protein called LEKTI, which important for skin barrier function. LEKTI inhibits certain enzymes (serine proteinases) in the outermost layer of the skin (epidermis). The function of the serine proteinases is to break down the intracellular cement that holds together the horny cells in the epidermis, in order for the skin to be able to shed cells (known as cell desquamation). LEKTI deficiency leads to an uninhibited desquamation of horny cells, and as a result the skin becomes red and scaly. The barrier function of the skin is also affected. The permeability of the skin increases, and its capacity to bind water decreases, which causes dryness. The thinness of the barrier also results in over absorption of chemicals, for example topical medical treatments. Historically one in ten infants dies before their first birthday. Currently there are no proven treatments to cure this condition.

The investigators have been developing a gene therapy approach to treat this disorder. The investigators have used a disabled virus (vector) to carry a functional copy of the SPINK5 gene into skin stem cells. Proof-of-principle experiments have shown the investigators can restore almost normal shape and size of the upper layer of the skin in skin grafts grown in the lab. Even if only a small number of cells are genetically modified to carry the corrected SPINK5 gene, there seems to be a correction over a wide area of the graft.

In this trial the investigators propose grafting of autologous epidermal sheets generated from genetically modified skin stem cells for the treatment of patients with Netherton Syndrome. The investigators anticipate production and release of LEKTI protein from even a small patch of skin will be beneficial.

Detailed description: Netherton Syndrome is a serious skin disorder caused by damage in a gene called SPINK5. This gene controls the formation of a protein called LEKTI, which important for skin barrier function. LEKTI inhibits certain enzymes (serine proteinases) in the outermost layer of the skin (epidermis). The function of the serine proteinases is to break down the intracellular cement that holds together the horny cells in the epidermis, in order for the skin to be able to shed cells (known as cell desquamation). LEKTI deficiency leads to an uninhibited desquamation of horny cells, and as a result the skin becomes red and scaly. The barrier function of the skin is also affected. The permeability of the skin increases, and its capacity to bind water decreases, which causes dryness. The thinness of the barrier also results in over absorption of chemicals, for example topical medical treatments. Historically one in ten infants dies before their first birthday. Currently there are no proven treatments to cure this condition.

The investigators have been developing a gene therapy approach to treat this disorder. The investigators have used a disabled virus (vector) to carry a functional copy of the SPINK5 gene into skin stem cells. Proof-of-principle experiments have shown the investigators can restore almost normal shape and size of the upper layer of the skin in skin grafts grown in the lab. Even if only a small number of cells are genetically modified to carry the corrected SPINK5 gene, there seems to be a correction over a wide area of the graft.

In this trial the investigators propose grafting of autologous epidermal sheets generated from genetically modified skin stem cells for the treatment of patients with Netherton Syndrome. The investigators anticipate production and release of LEKTI protein from even a small patch of skin will be beneficial.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Confirmed SPINK5 mutations in both alleles by direct DNA sequencing
* Absence of LEKTI protein expression in the skin by in situ immunostaining
* Patient informed consent, or parental/guardian consent in the case of minor participant

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of skin malignancy or evidence of current active malignant skin disease
* Pregnancy
* Hepatitis A, B, C or HIV positive
* Current antibiotic resistant bacterial colonisation

Primary outcomes:
measure: Safety of gene modified grafts
timeFrame: 1 year
measure: Histological evidence of correction of graft skin architecture
timeFrame: 1 year
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Detection of increased LEKT1 staining at site outside the graft
timeFrame: 1 year
measure: Immune response to graft/transgene
timeFrame: 1 year
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: London
country: United Kingdom
facility: Guy's and St Thomas NHS Trust
city: London
country: United Kingdom
facility: Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust
Study officials:
affiliation: Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
name: Jemima Mellerio, Dr
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Guy's and St thomas Hospital NHS Trust
name: Jemima Mellerio, Dr
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Bitoun E, Micheloni A, Lamant L, Bonnart C, Tartaglia-Polcini A, Cobbold C, Al Saati T, Mariotti F, Mazereeuw-Hautier J, Boralevi F, Hohl D, Harper J, Bodemer C, D'Alessio M, Hovnanian A. LEKTI proteolytic processing in human primary keratinocytes, tissue distribution and defective expression in Netherton syndrome. Hum Mol Genet. 2003 Oct 1;12(19):2417-30. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddg247. Epub 2003 Jul 29.
citation: Chavanas S, Bodemer C, Rochat A, Hamel-Teillac D, Ali M, Irvine AD, Bonafe JL, Wilkinson J, Taieb A, Barrandon Y, Harper JI, de Prost Y, Hovnanian A. Mutations in SPINK5, encoding a serine protease inhibitor, cause Netherton syndrome. Nat Genet. 2000 Jun;25(2):141-2. doi: 10.1038/75977.
citation: Di WL, Mellerio JE, Bernadis C, Harper J, Abdul-Wahab A, Ghani S, Chan L, Martinez-Queipo M, Hara H, McNicol AM, Farzaneh F, McGrath J, Thrasher A, Qasim W. Phase I study protocol for ex vivo lentiviral gene therapy for the inherited skin disease, Netherton syndrome. Hum Gene Ther Clin Dev. 2013 Dec;24(4):182-90. doi: 10.1089/humc.2013.195.