RP-L201

Positive results from CIRM-funded LAD-I trial presented at the 62nd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting

/ Yimy Villa / Leave a comment
Gaurav Shah, M.D., CEO and President of Rocket Pharmaceuticals

Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency-I (LAD-I) is a rare pediatric disease caused by a mutation in a specific gene that causes low levels of a protein called CD18. Due to low levels of CD18, the adhesion of immune cells is affected, which negatively impacts the body’s ability to combat infections.

Rocket Pharmaceuticals is conducting a CIRM-funded ($6.56 M) clinical trial that is testing a treatment that uses a gene therapy called RP-L201. The therapy uses a patient’s own blood stem cells and inserts a functional version of the gene.  These modified stem cells are then reintroduced back into the patient. The goal is to establish functional immune cells, enabling the body to combat infections. Previous studies have indicated that an increase in CD18 to 4-10% is associated with survival into adulthood. 

The company presented interim data from the trial at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in the form of an oral presentation. The data presented is from three pediatric patients with severe LAD-I, which is defined by CD18 expression of less than 2%. The patients were all treated with RP-L201. Patient One was 9-years of age at enrollment and had been followed for 12-months as of a cutoff date of November 2020. Patient Two was 3-years of age at enrollment and had been followed for over 6-months. Patient Three was 7-months of age at enrollment and was recently treated with RP-L201.

Key highlights from the presentation include:

  • RP-L201 was well tolerated, no safety issues reported with infusion or post-treatment
  • All patients achieved hematopoietic (blood) reconstitution within 5-weeks
    • 12 months post-treatment, Patient One demonstrated durable CD18 expression of approximately 40%,
    • 6-months post-treatment, Patient Two demonstrated CD18 expression of 23%
    • 2-months post-treatment, Patient Three demonstrated CD18 expression of 76%

In a press release from Rocket, Gaurav Shah, M.D., CEO and President of Rocket, expressed excitement about these results.

“…we continue to see encouraging evidence of efficacy for RP-L201 for the treatment of LAD-I. Patients have shown sustained CD18 expression of 23% to 40%, far exceeding the 4-10% threshold associated with survival into adulthood…”

To view the presentations at the conclusion of the oral presentation, click the link here.

CIRM funded trial for LAD-I announces positive results

/ Yimy Villa / Leave a comment

Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency-I (LAD-I) is a rare pediatric disease caused by a mutation in a specific gene that causes low levels of a protein called CD18. Due to low levels of CD18, the adhesion of immune cells is affected, which negatively impacts the body’s ability to combat infections.

Rocket Pharmaceuticals has announced positive results from a CIRM-funded clinical trial that is testing a treatment that uses a gene therapy called RP-L201. The therapy uses a patient’s own blood stem cells and inserts a functional version of the gene.  These modified stem cells are then reintroduced back into the patient. The goal is to establish functional immune cells, enabling the body to combat infections.  

The two patients enrolled in the CIRM funded trial have shown restored levels of CD18. Previous studies have indicated that an increase in CD18 to 4-10% is associated with survival into adulthood. The two patients demonstrated CD18 levels that exceeded this threshold.

In a news release, Jonathan Schwartz, M.D. Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Rocket, elaborated on these positive results.

“Patients with LAD-I have markedly diminished expression of the integrin CD18 and suffer from life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections. Natural history studies indicate that an increase in CD18 expression to 4-10% is associated with survival into adulthood. The two patients enrolled in our Phase 1 trial demonstrated restored CD18 expression substantially exceeding this threshold. In addition, we continue to observe a durable treatment effect in the patient followed through one year, with improvement of multiple disease-related skin lesions after therapy and no further requirements for prophylactic anti-infectives.”

Promising results from CIRM-funded projects

/ Kevin McCormack / 1 Comment

Severe Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency-1 (LAD-1) is a rare condition that causes the immune system to malfunction and reduces its ability to fight off viruses and bacteria. Over time the repeated infections can take a heavy toll on the body and dramatically shorten a person’s life. But now a therapy, developed by Rocket Pharmaceuticals, is showing promise in helping people with this disorder.

The therapy, called RP-L201, targets white blood cells called neutrophils which ordinarily attack and destroy invading particles. In people with LAD-1 their neutrophils are dangerously low. That’s why the new data about this treatment is so encouraging.

In a news release, Jonathan Schwartz, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Rocket, says early results in the CIRM-funded clinical trial, show great promise:

“Patients with severe LAD-I have neutrophil CD18 expression of less than 2% of normal, with extremely high mortality in early childhood. In this first patient, an increase to 47% CD18 expression sustained over six months demonstrates that RP-L201 has the potential to correct the neutrophil deficiency that is the hallmark of LAD-I. We are also pleased with the continued visible improvement of multiple disease-related skin lesions. The second patient has recently been treated, and we look forward to completing the Phase 1 portion of the registrational trial for this program.”

The results were released at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy.

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These microscopic images show gene expression in muscle stem and progenitor cells as they mature from early development to adulthood (left to right). As part of this process, the cells switch from actively expressing one key gene (green) to another (violet); this is accompanied by the growth of muscle fibers (red).
Photo courtesy: Cell Stem Cell/UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center

When you are going on a road-trip you need a map to help you find your way. It’s the same with stem cell research. If you are going to develop a new way to treat devastating muscle diseases, you need to have a map to show you how to build new muscle stem cells. And that’s what researchers at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA – with help from CIRM funding – have done.

The team took muscle progenitor cells – which show what’s happening in development before a baby is born – and compared them to muscle stem cells – which control muscle development after a baby is born. That enabled them to identify which genes are active at what stage of development.

In a news release, April Pyle, senior author of the paper, says this could open the door to new therapies for a variety of conditions:

“Muscle loss due to aging or disease is often the result of dysfunctional muscle stem cells. This map identifies the precise gene networks present in muscle progenitor and stem cells across development, which is essential to developing methods to generate these cells in a dish to treat muscle disorders.”

The study is published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.