Multicenter expanded access program for access to investigational products for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Expanded access (EA) is a Food and Drug Administration-regulated pathway to provide access to investigational products (IPs) to individuals with serious diseases who are ineligible for clinical trials. The aim of this report is to share the design and operations of a multicenter, multidrug EA program for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) across nine US centers. METHODS: A central coordination center was established to design and conduct the program. Templated documents and processes were developed to streamline study design, regulatory submissions, and clinical operations across protocols. The program included three protocols and provided access to IPs that were being tested in respective regimens of the HEALEY ALS Platform Trial (verdiperstat, CNM-Au8, and pridopidine). Clinical and safety data were collected in all EA protocols (EAPs). The program cohorts comprised participants who were not eligible for the platform trial, including participants at advanced stages of disease progression and with long disease duration. RESULTS: A total of 85 participants were screened across the 3 EAPs from July 2021 to September 2022. The screen failure rate was 3.5%. Enrollment for the regimens of the platform trial was completed as planned and results informed the duration of the corresponding EAP. The verdiperstat EAP was concluded in December 2022. Mean duration of participation in the verdiperstat EAP was 5.8 ± 4.1 months. The CNM-Au8 and pridopidine EAPs are ongoing. DISCUSSION: Multicenter EAPs conducted in parallel to randomized clinical trials for ALS can successfully enroll participants who do not qualify for clinical trials.

SOD1 Suppression with Adeno-Associated Virus and MicroRNA in Familial ALS.

Two patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and mutations in the gene encoding superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) were treated with a single intrathecal infusion of adeno-associated virus encoding a microRNA targeting SOD1. In Patient 1, SOD1 levels in spinal cord tissue as analyzed on autopsy were lower than corresponding levels in untreated patients with SOD1-mediated ALS and in healthy controls. Levels of SOD1 in cerebrospinal fluid were transiently and only slightly lower in Patient 1 but were not affected in Patient 2. In Patient 1, meningoradiculitis developed after the infusion; Patient 2 was pretreated with immunosuppressive drugs and did not have this complication. Patient 1 had transient improvement in the strength of his right leg, a measure that had been relatively stable throughout his disease course, but there was no change in his vital capacity. Patient 2 had stable scores on a composite measure of ALS function and a stable vital capacity during a 12-month period. This study showed that intrathecal microRNA can be used as a potential treatment for SOD1-mediated ALS.