Gene Therapy for Gaucher's and Fabry Disease Using Viruses and Blood-Forming Cells

Retroviral-Mediated Transfer and Expression of Glucocerebrosidase and Ceramidtrihexosidase (a-Galactosidase A) cDNA's in Human Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells

Gaucher's disease is a lysosomal storage disease resulting from glycocerebroside GLUCOCEREBROSIDE (1) accumulation in macrophages due to a genetic deficiency of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase. It may occur in patients of all ages. The most severe form, Type 2 Gaucher's Disease occurs in infants who die in the first years of life (with rapidly progressive neurologic deterioration). The condition is passed from generation to generation through autosomal recessive inheritance.

Fabry's disease isa genetic disorder (X-linked recessive) due to the absence of the enzyme a-galactosidase A. The disease is characterized by abnormal collections of glycolipids in cells (histiocytes) within blood vessel walls, tumors on the thighs, buttocks, and genitalia(2) decreased sweating, tingling sensations in the extremities, and cataracts. Patients with Fabry's disease die from complications of the kidney, heart, or brain.

Both conditions are caused by the absence of specific enzymes (3). Patients with these conditions are missing (3) or have defective genes needed for the normal production of these enzymes. Studies on the blood-forming cells in bone marrow have lead to gene therapies using retroviruses as vehicles to carry and insert working genes into abnormal or diseased cells.

This study is designed to measure the safety and effectiveness of transferring working copies of genes responsible for making missing enzymes into the cells of patients with Gaucher's or Fabry disease.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

This protocol was developed in order to obtain bone marrow stem cells for ex vivo transduction with retroviruses containing the human glucocerebrosidase gene. We continue to enter a small number of patients to this protocol each year. Studies with the bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells have enabled us to identify the most effective retroviral construct currently available in order to carry out gene therapy trials in patients with Gaucher's disease. The data revealed that a comparatively simple retroviral construct containing human glucocerebrosidase cDNA driven by the MoLV promoter is highly effective. We have obtained approval and initiated a Phase I safety and gene marking investigation in patients with Type I Gaucher's Disease.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

120

Phase

  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Maryland
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
        • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Normal and patient volunteers.

Individuals with platelet counts less than 40,000/ul, PT greater than 15 seconds, or PTT greater than 40 seconds will not undergo bone marrow aspiration.

Individuals with hematologic disorders other than Gaucher Disease, Fabry Disease, or mild iron deficiency will not undergo bone marrow aspiration.

HIV positive individuals will be excluded from participating.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

January 1, 1988

Study Completion

April 1, 2002

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 3, 1999

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 3, 1999

First Posted (Estimate)

November 4, 1999

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

March 4, 2008

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 3, 2008

Last Verified

April 1, 2002

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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