Seismic Method Estimate velocity from seismic data.pptx
Involving all stakeholders
1. Academic and patient representatives
perspective on drug development for
rare diseases
Annemieke Aartsma-Rus & Elizabeth Vroom
June 2018
2. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics2
Outline talk
Use therapy development for DMD as a showcase
• Patient community involvement
• The need for timely tool development
• The importance of involving all stakeholders
• The importance of good communiciation
• Bilateral education trilateral education
• Can we learn from our mistakes?
7. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics7
Step 1: Fundamental research ($$)
• DMD patients lack dystrophin protein
• BMD patients have altered dystrophins
• Acts as shock absorber
• Connects muscle cytoskeleton to connective
tissue
• Functional domains located at beginning and end
16. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics 16
AONs
• Modified pieces of RNA/DNA
• Many different modifications possible
• We use 2’-O-methyl phosphorothioate
• Transfection needed in cell culture
• Saline injection possible in mouse
17. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics17
Step 1: DMD cells start making dystrophin
5247
525147
M NT 51 -RT HC0h 4h 8h 16h24h48h
NT 48 post transfection
MANDYS1 DYS2MANDYS1
18. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics18
Mutation specific approach
hotspot
Dystroglycan domain
Exon All mutations Deletions
51 14% 21%
45 9.0% 13%
53 8.1% 12%
44 7.6% 11%
50 3.8% 5.6%
43 3.1% 4.5%
8 2.0% 2.9%
Bladen et al, Hum Mut 2015
23. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics23
Step 3: mouse models
• No animal model is perfect – that does not mean
they are not useful
• Spontaneous mutation in mouse dystrophin
• No dystrophin production
• Dystrophic muscles
• Milder phenotype
• Test systemic delivery
24. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics 24
Considerations for AON delivery
• AONs very small (~8-12 kDa)
• Filtered out by kidney
• Phosphorothiate modification
• Serum protein binding
• Less clearance by kidney
• Uptake by liver
• Uptake muscle poor, heart very poor
25. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics25
Systemic studies in mdx mice
WT Mice
Mdx Mice
AON levels in muscle and Liver
Gastrocn.
26. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics26
Step 4: Systemic efficacy trials
How are drugs approved?
•For rare diseases European Medicines Agency (EMA)
approves drugs
•Regulators base approval on benefit/risk analysis
•Need to show ‘clincial benefit’ for patients
•Need tools
• Outcome measures
• Natural history data
27. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics 27
Ready for trials????
• Limited natural history data
• Limited outcome measures
•No biomarkers
• Preclinical studies not standardized
• Rare disease multiple trials sites needed?
• Care standards
• Trial sites where?
• Personalized approach
• Registries needed
28. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics 28
Infrastructure needed for clinical trials
• Natural history data
• Outcome measures
• Biomarkers
• Rare disease multiple trials sites needed
• Care standards
• Expert centers for DMD
• Personalized approach
• Registries to identify eligible patients
29. 29|TREAT-NMD
BioBank
Patient
Registries
Care & Trial
Site Registry
Outcome
Measures
Standards of
Diagnosis &
Care
TACT
Website &
Communications
Joint
Research
Standard
Operating
Procedures
Three year
work plan
www.treat-nmd.eu
Action Plan
3 year plan
Milestone-driven
approach
Maintains network
momentum & establish
new goals
Website &
Communication
Extensive website
250,000 annual page hits
70,000 visitors annually
Monthly newsletter sent
to 3,500 recipients
Proven communication
platform
Secretariat - Kate Bushby
Volker Straub
Funding – EC (operating
grant)
TACT
TREAT-NMD Advisory
Committee for
Therapeutics,
Expert multidisciplinary
body
Independent and objective
guidance on advancing
new therapies for
neuromuscular diseases
Chair – Dominic Wells
Funding - US (Dept of
Defense)
Joint research
Regular meetings to
consolidate efforts and
jointly tackle common
problems
Topics based on necessity,
hosting to be rotated
between partners
Leads - Eric Hoffman
Annemieke Aartsma-Rus
Filippo Buccella
Funding - COST
SOPs
Unified experimental
protocols improve the
comparability of studies
Drawn up by a group of
independent researchers
(listed in each protocol)
Approx 40 sops updated
regularly
EuroBioBank
Unique network of 18
members
Stores & distributes
440,000 quality DNA, cell
and tissue samples
Leads - Marina Mora
Lucia Monaco
Marco Crimi
Funding - Fondazione
Telethon
Patient Registries
Standardized genetic &
clinical core data for trial
recruitment
Interface can vary
between countries whilst
still able to share core data
Ethical & governance best
practice
>10,000 DMD patients
across 30 countries
Leads - Jan Verschuuren
Hugh Dawkins
Funding - AFM & EC
(operating grant)
Care & Trial Site
Registry
Information about each
registered trial site kept in
one location for ease of
comparison
Addresses organisational
difficulties of identifying
appropriate sites when
setting up a trial
Coordinated by University
Medical Center Freiburg
Outcome measures
Tests to decide whether
treatment being tested in
a trial is having any effect
Vital to use the correct
outcome measure to
prove if a treatment works
Working to harmonise the
use of most appropriate
outcome measures for
different diseases
Lead - Eugenio Mercuri
Funding - Telethon & Parent
Organizations
Standards of
Diagnosis & Care
International consensus
publication recommended
standards of care
DMD-SMA-CMD-LGMD
Family guides
in 25 different languages
translations verified
Printed booklets or
download from
website
Leads - Thomas Sejersen
Kathy North
2007-2011
EU funded Network
2012 onwards
Alliance funded
through multiple
streams with global
partners & membership
Governance
Chair – Kevin Flannigan
Vice Chair – Jan Kirschner
Executive Committee
Supported by academic
advisory board (“task force”)
of NMD leaders
33. Interactions with Industry
‘Early access to medicines in Europe:
Compassionate use to become a reality’
Eurordis
‘Code of Practice between patient
organisations and the healtcare
industry’
Eurordis
Community Advisory Board
Eurordis
34. Meanwhile: trials were initiated
Annemieke Aartsma-Rus
• Dose escalating study (0.5 – 6 mg/kg/week for 4
weeks (April 2008)
• Dystrophin restored in 10/12 patients
• All patients then enrolled in an open label
extension study (July 2009)
• 6 mg/kg drisapersen per week for 72 weeks
• Then 8 weeks break
• Then cycles of 8 weekly doses, 4 week break
• Treated for almost 4 years
Goemans et al, NEJM 2011, 364: 1513-22
35. 6 Minute walk test
• Global measure of function arising from cardio respiratory field
• Captures clinically meaningful aspect of day-to-day life of ambulant DMD
• Precedent of regulatory approval obtained based on 6MWD in NMD
• Modified, standardized procedure described for DMD (C.McDonald, 2010)I
• Is currently used as (primary) endpoint in therapeutic trials
38. Open Label Extenion Trial Drisapersen
Annemieke Aartsma-Rus
• Side effects observed
• Local injection site reactions
• Proteinuria (reversible during breaks)
• Thrombocytopenia seen for some patients
• Seen in all phase 2/3 trials drisapersen
• 6 minute walk distance maintained for >3.5 years
in 8/10 ambulant patients
• Very encouraging results but no placebo group
39. Placebo-controlled trial drisapersen
Annemieke Aartsma-Rus
• 54 patients
• Early stage of disease (able to rise from floor in < 7 sec)
• Steroid treated
• Treatment for 48 weeks with 6 mg/kg drisapersen
subcutaneous or placebo
• Weekly injections (18 patients)
• Intermittent regimen (17 patients)
• Placebo (18 patients)
40. Primary Endpoint: Change from Baseline (95% CI) in 6MWD
(m), ITT Population
Visit Comparison Treatment Difference P-value
Week 25 (Primary) Weekly vs Placebo 35.09 0.014
Intermittent vs Placebo 3.51 0.801
Week 49 (Secondary) Weekly vs Placebo 35.84 0.051
Intermittent vs Placebo 27.08 0.147
41. Placebo-controlled trial drisapersen
Annemieke Aartsma-Rus
• 51 patients
• Early stage of disease (rise from floor <15 seconds)
• Steroid treated
• Treatment for 24 weeks with 3 or 6 mg/kg
drisapersen subcutaneous or placebo
• 24 week wash out
42.
43. Placebo study drisapersen
Annemieke Aartsma-Rus
• Phase 3 (48 weeks)
• Patients 5-16 years old (186)
• Global study
• 6 mg/kg/week or placebo
44. Primary Endpoint: 6MWD
Adjusted Mean Change from Baseline (95% CI) in 6MWD (m) – Primary MMRM analysis
ITT Population
Treatment difference = 10.3m,
p-value = 0.415 at Week 48
Curves offset for visualization
4.7m 4.8m 1.8m
- 52.7 m
- 42.3 m
48. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics48
In hindsight
• Information too limited to allow set up ideal trial
• Limited information on 6MWT
• Variation
• Progression in different age ranges
• Power calculations impossible
• Selection of ideal cohort impossible
• Difficult to pick up minor treatment effect
49. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics49
Is this the end?
• Phase 3 population more advanced disease
• See more response in younger patients
• See more response in early stage patients
• Open label studies: effect clearer after 2 years
• Applied for FDA approval: not granted
• EMA application withdrawn
• Limited benefit vs side effects
• Exon 44, 45 and 53 skipping programms stopped
• Focus on next generation AONs
50. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics50
Trilateral education
• Regulators are no experts in any rare disease
• DMD field no expert in regulatory affairs
• Stakeholder meetings organized to learn each
others language and perspective and plan for
future
• Patients/parents
• Academics
• Regulators
• Industry
51. EMA
‘Drugs are approved on data not on emotions’
Have arguments included in the discussion
No drama
Patients included in scientific committees
More (real life) data needed
Strict conflict of interest rules
54. EMA - CHMP
Signed by 65 Muscle organisations and Eurordis
Collective letter (incl data) for example on patient preferences
Members from all countries
Input via patient representatives in committees
Distributed Among all members by EMA
62. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics62
Current situation
• No functional data available yet
• Approval based on minute increases in dystrophin
• Clear room for improvement
• Evaluation EMA pending
63. Annemieke Aartsma-RusDepartment of Human Genetics63
Lessons learned by the field
• Have natural history data available (especially for
your outcome measures)
• Suboptimal trial design can lead to false negative
results (especially for low effective drugs)
• Develop outcome measures in parallel with
therapeutic approach and involve patients
• Involve all stakeholders from an early stage
• Learn each other’s language