Lentiviral-mediated Gene Therapy for Pediatric Patients With Fanconi Anemia Subtype A

A Phase II Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of the Infusion of Autologous CD34+ Cells Transduced With a Lentiviral Vector Carrying the FANCA Gene (Orphan Drug) in Patients With Fanconi Anemia Subtype A

This is an open-label Phase II clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of a hematopoietic cell-based gene therapy for pediatric patients with Fanconi Anemia, subtype A (FA-A).

Hematopoietic stem cells from mobilized peripheral blood of patients with FA-A will be transduced ex vivo (outside the body) with a lentiviral vector carrying the FANCA gene. After transduction, the corrected stem cells will be infused intravenously back to the patient with the goal of preventing bone marrow failure.

This is a pediatric open-label Phase II clinical trial to assess the efficacy of a hematopoietic gene therapy consisting of autologous CD34+ enriched cells transduced with a lentiviral vector carrying the FANCA gene in pediatric subjects with FA-A.

Enriched CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells will be transduced ex vivo with the therapeutic lentiviral vector and infused via intravenous infusion following transduction without any prior conditioning.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Fanconi anemia as diagnosed by chromosomal fragility assay of cultured lymphocytes in the presence of diepoxybutane (DEB) or similar DNA-crosslinking agent
2. Patient of the complementation group FA-A
3. Minimum age: 1 year and minimum weight of 8 kg.
4. Maximum age: 17 years
5. At least 30 CD34+ cells/µL are determined in one BM aspiration within 3 months prior to the CD34+ cell collection.
6. Provide informed consent in accordance with current legislation
7. Women of childbearing age must have a negative urine pregnancy test at the baseline visit, and accept the use of an effective contraception method during participation in the trial

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with an available and medically eligible human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical sibling donor

2. Evidence of myelodysplastic syndrome or leukemia, or cytogenetic abnormalities other than those predictive of these conditions in bone marrow (BM) aspirate analysis. This assessment should be made by valid studies conducted within the 3 months before the patient enters the clinical trial

3. Patients with somatic mosaicism associated with stable or improved counts in all PB cell lineages (If T-lymphocyte chromosomal fragility analysis indicates potential mosaicism, a medically significant decrease in at least one blood lineage over time must be documented to enable eligibility)

4. Lansky performance index ≤ 60%

5. Any concomitant disease or condition that, in the opinion of the Principal Investigator, deems the patient unfit to participate in the trial

6. Pre-existing sensory or motor impairment >/= grade 2 according to the criteria of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)

7. Pregnant or breastfeeding women

8. Hepatic dysfunction as defined by either:

   • Bilirubin > 3 x the upper limit of normal (ULN)
   • Alanine aminotransferase (ALT ) > 5 x ULN
   • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) > 5 x ULN For subjects with bilirubin, ALT, or AST above ULN, a workup to identify the etiology of liver abnormality should be conducted prior to confirmation of eligibility as stipulated in exclusion criterion 5, including evaluation of viral hepatitis, iron overload, drug injury or other causes.

9. Renal dysfunction requiring either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis

10. Pulmonary dysfunction as defined by either:

    • Need for supplemental oxygen during the prior 2 weeks (in absence of acute infection)
    • Oxygen saturation (by pulse oximetry) <90%

11. Evidence of active metastatic or locoregionally advanced malignancy for which survival is anticipated to be less than 3 years

12. Subject is receiving androgens (i.e. danazol, oxymetholone)

13. Subject is receiving other investigational therapy for treatment/prevention of FA-associated bone marrow failure