Clinical Trial to Assess Safety and Efficacy of Autologous Cultured Epidermal Grafts Containing Epidermal Stem Cells Genetically Modified in Patients With JEB (HOLOGENE17) (HOLOGENE17)

Prospective, Open-label, Uncontrolled Clinical Trial to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Autologous Cultured Epidermal Grafts Containing Epidermal Stem Cells Genetically Modified With a Gamma-retroviral (rv) Vector Carrying COL17A1 cDNA for Restoration of Epidermis in Patients With Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa

Prospective open-label, uncontrolled clinical study to assess the safety and efficacy of autologous cultured epidermal grafts containing epidermal stem cells genetically modified with the aid of a gamma-retroviral vector carrying COL17A1 complementary DNA (cDNA) for restoration of the epidermis in patients with junctional epidermolysis bullosa. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the safety and efficacy after one or more treatments with genetically corrected cultured epidermal autograft (Hologene 17) in patients suffering of junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB) with COL17A1 mutation.

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Transplantation surgery of genetically corrected cultured epidermal autograft (ATMP)

Detailed Description

This is a prospective, open label, uncontrolled clinical trial, phase I/II. Patients will be screened according to the Study Inclusion and Exclusion criteria and will be candidate for the treatment if all inclusion and none of the exclusion criteria are met.

After confirmation of eligibility, patients will undergo biopsy for the collection of the autologous epidermal cells to be used to produce the tissue for the treatment. In case all criteria are met, the transplantation of the new cultured transgenic epidermis will be planned according to the procedures and the need of the patient.

The study treatment consists of a surgical intervention for new restored stem cells implantation.

The surgery will be carried out in 2 stages, the first aims at taking biopsy to isolate epidermal cells including stem cells. The biopsy will be processed in a laboratory of a regenerative medicine manufacturing site where they will be corrected, expanded and prepared as final sheets to be implanted. Therefore, the patient can have his second intervention. In this second surgery, genetically corrected cultured epidermal autograft (Hologene 17) will be implanted into the selected area. The specialist surgeon will either use a local or general anaesthetic for the transplant operation. The treated area will be immobilized for some days after this operation. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs will be administered (if necessary) to prevent infections and to minimise swelling.

Three months after the transplantation, primary endpoint will be evaluated by the Investigator. The study completion will be reached when 1 year (secondary endpoint) of follow-up after the last transplant in the last patient will be accomplished.

The end of the trial is defined as the last visit of the last patient after the last treatment if any.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 1
• Phase: Phase 2; Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Austria
  • Salzburg, Austria, 5020
    • EB House Austria, Department of Dermatology, Paracelsus Medical University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 6 years to 54 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Signed and dated informed consent prior to any study-related procedures;
2. Male and female patients between 6 years old to 54 years old;
3. JEB molecular characterization by mutation analysis;
4. NC16A antibody immunofluorescence or positive staining in Western Blot analysis with polyclonal antibody produced against a synthetic peptide corresponding to amino acids 131-145 of human COL17A1;
5. Presence of chronic (persistent or recurrent for more than 3 months) large wounds (>10 cm2) and/or persistent or recurrent erosions;
6. A cooperative attitude to follow up the study procedures (Caregivers in case of minors).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Known or suspected intolerances against anaesthesia;
2. Bad general condition (ECOG index >1);
3. Unresectable metastasizing Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCCs);
4. Antibodies to type XVII collagen associated antigens demonstrated on indirect immunofluorescence;
5. Clinical and/or laboratory signs of acute systemic infections at the time of screening. Patient can be re-screened after appropriate treatment;
6. Severe systemic diseases (i.e. uncompensated diabetes mellitus);
7. Female subjects: pregnant or lactating women and all women physiologically capable of becoming pregnant (i.e. women of childbearing potential) UNLESS they are willing to use one or more reliable methods of contraception with a Pearl index ≤1. Reliable contraception should be maintained throughout the study.

8. Allergy, sensitivity or intolerance to drugs, excipients or other material (as per Investigator's brochure):

   • Transport medium (Dulbecco's Modified Eagles Medium supplemented with L-glutamine)
   • Fibrin support
   • Povidone iodine
9. Contraindications to the local or systemic antibiotics and/ or corticosteroids foreseen by the protocol;
10. Contraindications to undergo extensive surgical procedures;
11. Clinically significant or unstable concurrent disease or other clinical contraindications to stem cell transplantation based upon investigator's judgment or other concomitant medical conditions affecting grafting procedure;
12. Patients (or parents in case of paediatric subject) unlikely to comply with the study protocol or unable to understand the nature and scope of the study or the possible benefits or unwanted effects of the study procedures and treatments;
13. Participation in another clinical trial where investigational drug was received less than 6 months prior to screening Visit.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Genetically corrected cultured epidermal autograft; The surgery will be carried out in 2 stages, the first aims at taking biopsy to isolate epidermal cells including stem cells. The biopsy will be processed in a laboratory of a regenerative medicine manufacturing site where they will be corrected, expanded and prepared as final sheets to be implanted. In the second surgery, genetically corrected cultured epidermal autograft (Hologene17) will be implanted into the selected area. The specialist surgeon will either use a local or general anaesthetic for the implant operation. The treated area will be immobilized for some days after this operation. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs will be administered (if necessary) to prevent infections and to minimise swelling.

Other: Transplantation surgery of genetically corrected cultured epidermal autograft (ATMP); Surgergical procedure for transplantation under anaesthesia of genetically corrected cultured epidermal autograft (Hologene17) on blistering skin areas of JEB patients. By taking some autologous epidermal cells, a new layer of transgenic tissue is grown in the laboratory. This layer of tissue - containing genetically modified stem cells - is then implanted by a surgeon into the damaged area. The implantation can be done in one or more areas and repeated in case of failure of the first surgery.; Other Names: Transplantation of Hologene17 study product (ATMP)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Safety events (ADRs and SAEs) related to the study treatment (tolerability)	Number of patients experiencing treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) - either to the epidermal graft and to the surgical procedures. Adverse events (serious and not serious) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) will be collected and described	3 months after treatment
Safety events (ADRs and SAEs) related to the study treatment (tolerability)	Percentage of patients experiencing treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) - either to the epidermal graft and to the surgical procedures. Adverse events (serious and not serious) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) will be collected and described	12 months after treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Skin stability in the short term (Treatment efficacy)	The skin stability will be evaluated by means of stripping test and visual inspection of the treated areas	3 months after transplantation
Skin functionality in the short term (Treatment efficacy)	The skin functionality will be evaluated by means of molecular testing on skin punch biopsies taken from the transplanted areas.	3 months after transplantation
Skin stability in the long term (Treatment efficacy)	The skin stability will be evaluated by means of stripping test and visual inspection of the treated areas	12 months after transplantation
Skin functionality in the long term (Treatment efficacy)	The skin functionality will be evaluated by means of molecular testing on skin punch biopsies taken from the transplanted areas.	12 months after transplantation

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Holostem Terapie Avanzate s.r.l.
• Collaborators: Paracelsus Medical University

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Description Correction of junctional epidermolysis bullosa by transplantation of genetically modified epidermal stem cells.
• Description Long-term stability and safety of transgenic cultured epidermal stem cells in gene therapy of junctional epidermolysis bullosa.
• Regeneration of the entire human epidermis using transgenic stem cells
• Description Closure of a large chronic wound through transplantation of gene-corrected epidermal stem cells.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 19, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 11, 2018
• Study Completion (Actual): September 11, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 18, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 5, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): April 6, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 7, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 18, 2022
• Last Verified: February 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Stem cells; Gene Therapy; JEB
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Skin Diseases; Congenital Abnormalities; Genetic Diseases, Inborn; Skin Diseases, Genetic; Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous; Skin Abnormalities; Epidermolysis Bullosa; Epidermolysis Bullosa, Junctional
• Other Study ID Numbers: HTA-HG17-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No