First two patients in the HGB-205 Study achieved transfusion independence within two weeks of an autologous transplant with bluebird’s lentiviral gene therapy
CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA I June 14, 2014 I bluebird bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLUE), a clinical-stage company committed to developing potentially transformative gene therapies for severe genetic and orphan diseases, today released initial positive clinical data from its HGB-205 clinical study of its LentiGlobin BB305 product candidate in beta-thalassemia major subjects at the 19th Annual Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) in Milan, Italy.
“We are gratified that the improvements we introduced into the BB305 lentiviral vector design and manufacturing process appear to have translated into clinical results that we believe support the potential for our LentiGlobin BB305 gene therapy to transform the lives of patients with beta-thalassemia major,” stated David Davidson, M.D., bluebird bio’s Chief Medical Officer. “We are encouraged by the early and high-level production of corrected betaAT87Q-globin and the rapid onset of transfusion independence in these initial subjects, as well as the absence of any gene therapy related adverse events. We look forward to providing additional data from this study and our ongoing multi-center Northstar Study later this year.”
The principal investigator of the HGB-205 Study, Marina Cavazzana, M.D delivered an oral presentation at the EHA Congress entitled “Improving gene therapy for beta-thalassemia major: initial results from Study HGB-205” on June 14, 2014 at 04:15 pm CET (10:15 am EDT). The presentation included data from the prior LG001 Clinical Study and the ongoing HGB-205 Study.
Summary of the clinical data presented at EHA were:
LG001 Clinical Study
- Clinical update provided on two subjects treated in the prior LG001 Study (subjects 3 and 4) using the prior lentiviral HPV569 product candidate
- Subject 3 remains blood transfusion independent 72 months after being transplanted with the lentiviral HPV569 product candidate
- Subjects 3 and 4 are producing 2.7 g/dL and 0.4 g/dL of therapeutic betaA-T87Q-globin post-transplant, respectively
- No drug product related adverse events were reported in the LG001 Study.
HGB-205 Clinical Study
- Clinical data were presented on two subjects (subjects 1 and 2), both with beta-thalassemia major and the Beta E/Beta 0 genotype who were treated using the new lentiviral vector BB305
- At 4.5 months following autologous transplant subject 1 had a total hemoglobin of 10.1 g/dL of which 6.6 g/dL was therapeutic betaAT87Q-globin, and at 2 months post-transplant subject 2 had a total hemoglobin of 11.6 g/dL of which 4.2 g/dL was betaAT87Q-globin
- Subjects 1 and 2 received their last blood transfusion on day 10 and 12, respectively, post-transplant and both subjects remain blood transfusion independent
- Vector copy number in the drug product for subjects 1 and 2 were 1.5 and 2.1, respectively; multiple times higher than the drug product vector copy numbers reported in the prior LG001 Study (VCN 0.6 and 0.3 for Subjects 3 and 4, respectively)
- No drug product related adverse events were reported, and the integration site analysis performed on subject 1 at the 3-month time point showed polyclonal reconstitution.
We anticipate reporting additional data from the HGB-205 Study and from our ongoing Northstar Study in late 2014.
Conference Call and Webcast
bluebird bio will host a conference call at 8:00 am EDT on Monday, June 16, 2014 to discuss the initial results from its HGB-205 Study. Investors may listen to the webcast of the conference call live on the “Calendar of Events” section of bluebird bio’s website, www.bluebirdbio.com. Alternatively, investors may listen to the call by dialing: (844) 825-4408 from locations in the U.S. and (315) 625-3227 from outside the U.S. The webcast replay will be available for at least 72 hours following the call.
About beta-thalassemia
Beta-thalassemia major is a rare hereditary blood disorder caused by a genetic abnormality of the beta globin gene resulting in defective red blood cells. Symptoms of beta-thalassemia include severe anemia and splenomegaly. It is estimated that about 288,000 patients with beta-thalassemia are alive, of which an estimated 15,000 live in the United States and Europe. The majority of beta-thalassemia patients have beta-thalassemia major.
About the HGB-205 Study
The phase 1/2 study is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LentiGlobin BB305 drug product in the treatment of subjects with beta-thalassemia major and severe sickle cell disease. The study is designed to enroll up to seven subjects. Subjects will be followed to evaluate safety and blood transfusion requirements post-transplant. In sickle cell disease patients only, efficacy will also be measured based on the number of vaso-occlusive crises or acute chest syndrome events.
For more information on the HGB-205 Study, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov using identifier NCT02151526.
About bluebird bio, Inc.
bluebird bio is a clinical-stage company committed to developing potentially transformative gene therapies for severe genetic and orphan diseases. bluebird bio has two clinical-stage programs in development. The most advanced product candidate, Lenti-D, is in a recently-initiated phase 2/3 study, the Starbeam Study, for the treatment of childhood cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CCALD), a rare, hereditary neurological disorder affecting young boys. The next most advanced product candidate, LentiGlobin, is currently in two phase 1/2 studies, one in the US (the Northstar Study) and one in France (HGB-205), for the treatment of beta-thalassemia major. The phase 1/2 HGB-205 study also allows enrollment of patient(s) with sickle cell disease, and bluebird bio is planning a separate U.S. sickle cell disease trial (HGB-206).
bluebird bio also has an early-stage chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cell (CAR-T) program for oncology in collaboration with Celgene Corporation.
bluebird bio has operations in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Paris, France. For more information, please visit www.bluebirdbio.com.
SOURCE: bluebird
Post Views: 244
First two patients in the HGB-205 Study achieved transfusion independence within two weeks of an autologous transplant with bluebird’s lentiviral gene therapy
CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA I June 14, 2014 I bluebird bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLUE), a clinical-stage company committed to developing potentially transformative gene therapies for severe genetic and orphan diseases, today released initial positive clinical data from its HGB-205 clinical study of its LentiGlobin BB305 product candidate in beta-thalassemia major subjects at the 19th Annual Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) in Milan, Italy.
“We are gratified that the improvements we introduced into the BB305 lentiviral vector design and manufacturing process appear to have translated into clinical results that we believe support the potential for our LentiGlobin BB305 gene therapy to transform the lives of patients with beta-thalassemia major,” stated David Davidson, M.D., bluebird bio’s Chief Medical Officer. “We are encouraged by the early and high-level production of corrected betaAT87Q-globin and the rapid onset of transfusion independence in these initial subjects, as well as the absence of any gene therapy related adverse events. We look forward to providing additional data from this study and our ongoing multi-center Northstar Study later this year.”
The principal investigator of the HGB-205 Study, Marina Cavazzana, M.D delivered an oral presentation at the EHA Congress entitled “Improving gene therapy for beta-thalassemia major: initial results from Study HGB-205” on June 14, 2014 at 04:15 pm CET (10:15 am EDT). The presentation included data from the prior LG001 Clinical Study and the ongoing HGB-205 Study.
Summary of the clinical data presented at EHA were:
LG001 Clinical Study
- Clinical update provided on two subjects treated in the prior LG001 Study (subjects 3 and 4) using the prior lentiviral HPV569 product candidate
- Subject 3 remains blood transfusion independent 72 months after being transplanted with the lentiviral HPV569 product candidate
- Subjects 3 and 4 are producing 2.7 g/dL and 0.4 g/dL of therapeutic betaA-T87Q-globin post-transplant, respectively
- No drug product related adverse events were reported in the LG001 Study.
HGB-205 Clinical Study
- Clinical data were presented on two subjects (subjects 1 and 2), both with beta-thalassemia major and the Beta E/Beta 0 genotype who were treated using the new lentiviral vector BB305
- At 4.5 months following autologous transplant subject 1 had a total hemoglobin of 10.1 g/dL of which 6.6 g/dL was therapeutic betaAT87Q-globin, and at 2 months post-transplant subject 2 had a total hemoglobin of 11.6 g/dL of which 4.2 g/dL was betaAT87Q-globin
- Subjects 1 and 2 received their last blood transfusion on day 10 and 12, respectively, post-transplant and both subjects remain blood transfusion independent
- Vector copy number in the drug product for subjects 1 and 2 were 1.5 and 2.1, respectively; multiple times higher than the drug product vector copy numbers reported in the prior LG001 Study (VCN 0.6 and 0.3 for Subjects 3 and 4, respectively)
- No drug product related adverse events were reported, and the integration site analysis performed on subject 1 at the 3-month time point showed polyclonal reconstitution.
We anticipate reporting additional data from the HGB-205 Study and from our ongoing Northstar Study in late 2014.
Conference Call and Webcast
bluebird bio will host a conference call at 8:00 am EDT on Monday, June 16, 2014 to discuss the initial results from its HGB-205 Study. Investors may listen to the webcast of the conference call live on the “Calendar of Events” section of bluebird bio’s website, www.bluebirdbio.com. Alternatively, investors may listen to the call by dialing: (844) 825-4408 from locations in the U.S. and (315) 625-3227 from outside the U.S. The webcast replay will be available for at least 72 hours following the call.
About beta-thalassemia
Beta-thalassemia major is a rare hereditary blood disorder caused by a genetic abnormality of the beta globin gene resulting in defective red blood cells. Symptoms of beta-thalassemia include severe anemia and splenomegaly. It is estimated that about 288,000 patients with beta-thalassemia are alive, of which an estimated 15,000 live in the United States and Europe. The majority of beta-thalassemia patients have beta-thalassemia major.
About the HGB-205 Study
The phase 1/2 study is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LentiGlobin BB305 drug product in the treatment of subjects with beta-thalassemia major and severe sickle cell disease. The study is designed to enroll up to seven subjects. Subjects will be followed to evaluate safety and blood transfusion requirements post-transplant. In sickle cell disease patients only, efficacy will also be measured based on the number of vaso-occlusive crises or acute chest syndrome events.
For more information on the HGB-205 Study, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov using identifier NCT02151526.
About bluebird bio, Inc.
bluebird bio is a clinical-stage company committed to developing potentially transformative gene therapies for severe genetic and orphan diseases. bluebird bio has two clinical-stage programs in development. The most advanced product candidate, Lenti-D, is in a recently-initiated phase 2/3 study, the Starbeam Study, for the treatment of childhood cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CCALD), a rare, hereditary neurological disorder affecting young boys. The next most advanced product candidate, LentiGlobin, is currently in two phase 1/2 studies, one in the US (the Northstar Study) and one in France (HGB-205), for the treatment of beta-thalassemia major. The phase 1/2 HGB-205 study also allows enrollment of patient(s) with sickle cell disease, and bluebird bio is planning a separate U.S. sickle cell disease trial (HGB-206).
bluebird bio also has an early-stage chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cell (CAR-T) program for oncology in collaboration with Celgene Corporation.
bluebird bio has operations in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Paris, France. For more information, please visit www.bluebirdbio.com.
SOURCE: bluebird
Post Views: 244
