Journal Articles Conference Presentations Book Chapters Public Presentations

Repeat Administration of Gl67A/pGM169 Is Feasible, Safe, and Produces Endogenous Levels of CFTR Expression After 12 Doses.

Alton EW, Boyd AC, Cheng SH, Davies JC, Davies LA, Dayan A, Gill DR, Griesenbach U, Higgins T, Hyde SC, Innes A, McLachlan G, Porteous D, Pringle IA, Scheule RK, Sumner-Jones SG

Thorax, Vol 67, S2, Abstract P96

British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting, London, 2012

For gene therapy to improve lung function in CF subjects, repeated administration of the gene transfer agent over the lifetime of a patient will be necessary.

This requirement limits the usefulness of adenoviral and adeno-associated viral vectors (both commonly used in CF gene therapy in the past), because these viral vectors induce adaptive immune responses which render repeat dosing ineffective.

Thus, for CF gene therapy non-viral vectors are currently the only viable option. We have, therefore, undertaken an extensive pre- clinical research programme to select the most efficient non-viral vector for a Multi-dose CF trial. The cationic lipid formulation GL67A was ultimately chosen and combined with a CpG-free CFTR plasmid (pGM169).

We recently completed a single-dose Phase 2a clinical safety and molecular efficacy study, which demonstrated proof-of principle for long lasting (several weeks) correction of the CF-specific chloride transport defect, but also indicated that the toxicity-efficacy window is comparatively narrow. To support the trial, we undertook a murine repeat dose (12 doses over 6 months) efficacy, biodistribution and toxicology study.

We show that:

  1. repeated lung administration of pGM169/GL67A is safe and feasible using a clinically relevant nebuliser.
  2. achieves reproducible, dose-dependent and persistent gene expression (>140 days after each dose).
  3. allows for a cumulative treatment effect (as measured by levels of vector-specific mRNA) particularly when working in a clinically relevant dosing range (dose 1: 0.8% vector-specific/endogenous mCftr (range 0–1.8), dose 12: 74% vector-specific/endogenous mCftr (range 31.6–204).

The results of this repeat dosing study in the mouse therefore demonstrate that endogenous levels of CFTR mRNA can be achieved by exoge- nously applied gene therapy (cumulative effect), and affirm the UK CF Gene Therapy Consortium’s strategy of repeat dosing.


 

Other Abstracts by these authors
A phase IIb Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of Non-Viral Gene Transfer for Cystic Fibrosis.
Pringle IA et al.
The American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Annual Conference (2014) Clinical Development of an Optimal F/HN Pseudotyped SIV Vector for Cystic Fibrosis Lung Gene Therapy.
Pringle IA et al.
The American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Annual Conference (2014) Delivery of NF-κβ Decoy Related Oligodeoxynucleotides Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Responses Associated with Plasmid DNA/Lipid Mediated Gene Transfer to Murine Lungs.
Varathalingam A et al.
The American Society of Gene Therapy Annual Conference (2004) Topical Delivery of mRNA to the Murine Lung and Nasal Epithelium.
Painter H et al.
The American Society of Gene Therapy Annual Conference (2004) Update on the UK CF Gene Therapy Consortium Multidose, Non-viral, Gene Therapy Trial
Alton EW et al.
The North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (2012) Transgene Expression in the Mouse Lung following Administration of Gene Transfer Vectors Expressing EGFP.
Davies LA et al.
The European Cystic Fibrosis Conference (2004)