Sepiapterin for Phenylketonuria (EPIPHENY Trial)
Palo Alto (17 mi)Age: < 18
Sex: Any
Travel: May be covered
Time Reimbursement: Varies
Trial Phase: Phase 3
Recruiting
Sponsor: PTC Therapeutics
No Placebo Group
Pivotal Trial (Near Approval)
Prior Safety Data
Approved in 3 jurisdictions
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?The main purpose of this trial is to evaluate the long-term efficacy of sepiapterin on preserving neurocognitive functioning in children with PKU when treatment is initiated in early childhood.
Is the drug Sepiapterin a promising treatment for Phenylketonuria?Yes, Sepiapterin is a promising drug for Phenylketonuria. It helps lower high levels of phenylalanine in the blood, which is important for people with this condition. Sepiapterin is more stable and effective than other treatments, making it a strong candidate for managing Phenylketonuria.1241011
What safety data is available for Sepiapterin (PTC-923) in treating Phenylketonuria?The safety data for Sepiapterin (PTC-923) in treating Phenylketonuria is limited, as the primary study mentioned is a Phase 2 trial comparing PTC923 to sapropterin. While the study focuses on efficacy, it does not provide detailed safety outcomes for PTC923. However, sapropterin, a related treatment, has been studied extensively. In the PKUDOS registry, sapropterin showed mostly non-serious adverse events in 6% of subjects, with serious drug-related adverse events in ≤ 1% of subjects. Another study reported that sapropterin was well tolerated over 22 weeks, with most adverse events being mild or moderate. These findings suggest a favorable safety profile for treatments similar to Sepiapterin, but specific safety data for Sepiapterin itself is not detailed in the provided research.358911
Do I have to stop taking my current medications for this trial?The trial protocol does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, you cannot participate if you've used BH4 supplementation within 3 months before screening or any investigational agent within 30 days prior to screening.
What data supports the idea that Sepiapterin for Phenylketonuria is an effective drug?The available research shows that Sepiapterin, also known as PTC923, is effective in lowering blood phenylalanine levels in people with phenylketonuria (PKU). In a study comparing Sepiapterin to another drug called sapropterin, Sepiapterin was found to increase the levels of a helpful substance in the body more than sapropterin did. This is important because sapropterin only reduces blood phenylalanine by 20-30% in a small number of people with PKU. Therefore, Sepiapterin may be a more effective option for reducing phenylalanine levels in a broader range of individuals with PKU.456711
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for children with Phenylketonuria (PKU) who have high blood Phe levels but can maintain them within a specific range with diet. They must not have had major surgery recently, be on other trials, or have certain genetic conditions or kidney disease. Girls who can have babies must not be pregnant and agree to use birth control.Treatment Details
The trial is testing the long-term effects of a drug called Sepiapterin on brain function in kids with PKU when started early in life. It's checking if this drug helps maintain their thinking and problem-solving abilities over time.
1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: SepiapterinExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants will receive age- and weight-adjusted doses of sepiapterin orally once daily for up to 6 years.
Sepiapterin is already approved in European Union, United States, Canada for the following indications:
🇪🇺 Approved in European Union as Sepiapterin for:
- Phenylketonuria (PKU) - Orphan designation only, not approved for use
🇺🇸 Approved in United States as Sepiapterin for:
- No FDA approval yet; NDA submitted for Phenylketonuria (PKU)
🇨🇦 Approved in Canada as Sepiapterin for:
- Phenylketonuria (PKU) - Priority review status, not yet approved
Find a clinic near you
Research locations nearbySelect from list below to view details:
Indiana UniversityIndianapolis, IN
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Who is running the clinical trial?
PTC TherapeuticsLead Sponsor
References
Atypical phenylketonuria caused by 7, 8-dihydrobiopterin synthetase deficiency. [2023]A patient with atypical phenylketonuria and normal liver dihydropteridine reductase and phenylalanine-4-hydroxylase activities excreted neopterin but not biopterin or dihydrobiopterin in urine. The oral administration of L-sepiapterin (1 mg/kg body weight) lowered serum-henylalanine from 17.1 to 1.1 mg/dl within 6 h. Comparable responses were observed after oral administration of L-erythro-7, 8-dihydrobiopterin or L-erythro-5, 6, 7, 8-tetrahydrobiopterin (each given in a dose of 2.5 mg/kg body weight). The results indicate a 7, 8-dihydrobiopterin synthetase deficiency in the patient.
Recommendations for evaluation of responsiveness to tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)) in phenylketonuria and its use in treatment. [2023]Some individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU) respond to pharmacologic treatment with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)) by a reduction in the blood phenylalanine concentration. This can result in increased dietary tolerance for phenylalanine or, in rare instances, replacement of the phenylalanine-restricted diet. BH(4) is now available as sapropterin dihydrochloride under the name KUVAN, a formulation of natural BH(4). This commentary contains recommendations for determining responsiveness to sapropterin dihydrochloride. The recommendations include challenging with an initial daily dose of 20mg/kg and blood phenylalanine determinations pre-challenge and on days 1, 7, and 14 with the option of an additional continuation to day 28 if required to clarify whether a response has occurred. An algorithm depicting this recommendation for the challenge is included. The most widely accepted standard of response is > or = 30% reduction in the blood phenylalanine concentration, but a lower degree of response might also be considered clinically meaningful in some individual circumstances. Issues include the potential treatment of those with mild hyperphenylalaninemia who are not on diet, challenging neonates who have hyperphenylalaninemia identified by newborn screening, and the use of sapropterin dihydrochloride in treatment of maternal PKU pregnancies. These recommendations are intended to provide a basis for the use of sapropterin dihydrochloride in the treatment of PKU but may be altered after close observation of treated patients and carefully performed research.
Safety and efficacy of 22 weeks of treatment with sapropterin dihydrochloride in patients with phenylketonuria. [2023]Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inherited metabolic disease characterized by phenylalanine (Phe) accumulation, which can lead to neurocognitive and neuromotor impairment. Sapropterin dihydrochloride, an FDA-approved synthetic formulation of tetrahydrobiopterin (6R-BH4, herein referred to as sapropterin) is effective in reducing plasma Phe concentrations in patients with hyperphenylalaninemia due to tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4)-responsive PKU, offering potential for improved metabolic control. Eighty patients, > or =8 years old, who had participated in a 6-week, randomized, placebo-controlled study of sapropterin, were enrolled in this 22-week, multicenter, open-label extension study comprising a 6-week forced dose-titration phase (5, 20, and 10 mg/kg/day of study drug consecutively for 2 weeks each), a 4-week dose-analysis phase (10 mg/kg/day), and a 12-week fixed-dose phase (patients received doses of 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg/day based on their plasma Phe concentrations during the dose titration). Dose-dependent reductions in plasma Phe concentrations were observed in the forced dose-titration phase. Mean (SD) plasma Phe concentration decreased from 844.0 (398.0) micromol/L (week 0) to 645.2 (393.4) micromol/L (week 10); the mean was maintained at this level during the study's final 12 weeks (652.2 [382.5] micromol/L at week 22). Sixty-eight (85%) patients had at least one adverse event (AE). All AEs, except one, were mild or moderate in severity. Neither the severe AE nor any of the three serious AEs was considered related to sapropterin. No AE led to treatment discontinuation. Sapropterin is effective in reducing plasma Phe concentrations in a dose-dependent manner and is well tolerated at doses of 5-20 mg/kg/day over 22 weeks in BH4-responsive patients with PKU.
Optimizing the use of sapropterin (BH(4)) in the management of phenylketonuria. [2023]Phenylketonuria (PKU) is caused by mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene, leading to deficient conversion of phenylalanine (Phe) to tyrosine and accumulation of toxic levels of Phe. A Phe-restricted diet is essential to reduce blood Phe levels and prevent long-term neurological impairment and other adverse sequelae. This diet is commenced within the first few weeks of life and current recommendations favor lifelong diet therapy. The observation of clinically significant reductions in blood Phe levels in a subset of patients with PKU following oral administration of 6R-tetrahydrobiopterin dihydrochloride (BH(4)), a cofactor of PAH, raises the prospect of oral pharmacotherapy for PKU. An orally active formulation of BH(4) (sapropterin dihydrochloride; Kuvan is now commercially available. Clinical studies suggest that treatment with sapropterin provides better Phe control and increases dietary Phe tolerance, allowing significant relaxation, or even discontinuation, of dietary Phe restriction. Firstly, patients who may respond to this treatment need to be identified. We propose an initial 48-h loading test, followed by a 1-4-week trial of sapropterin and subsequent adjustment of the sapropterin dosage and dietary Phe intake to optimize blood Phe control. Overall, sapropterin represents a major advance in the management of PKU.
Efficacy of sapropterin dihydrochloride in increasing phenylalanine tolerance in children with phenylketonuria: a phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. [2023]To evaluate the ability of sapropterin dihydrochloride (pharmaceutical preparation of tetrahydrobiopterin) to increase phenylalanine (Phe) tolerance while maintaining adequate blood Phe control in 4- to 12-year-old children with phenylketonuria (PKU).
New era in treatment for phenylketonuria: Pharmacologic therapy with sapropterin dihydrochloride. [2022]Oral administration of sapropterin hydrochloride, recently approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Commission, is a novel approach for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU), one of the most common inborn errors of metabolism. PKU is caused by an inherited deficiency of the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH), and the pathophysiology of the disorder is related to chronic accumulation of the free amino acid phenylalanine in tissues. Contemporary therapy is based upon restriction of dietary protein intake, which leads to reduction of blood phenylalanine levels. This therapy is difficult to maintain throughout life, and dietary noncompliance is commonplace. Sapropterin dihydrochloride is a synthetic version of tetrahydrobiopterin, the naturally occurring pterin cofactor that is required for PAH-mediated phenylalanine hydroxylation. In a subset of individuals with PAH deficiency, sapropterin administration leads to reduction in blood phenylalanine levels independent of dietary protein. For these individuals, sapropterin is an effective novel therapy for PKU.
Recommendations for the use of sapropterin in phenylketonuria. [2023]Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inherited disorder of phenylalanine (Phe) metabolism. Until recently, the only treatment for PKU was a Phe-restricted diet. Increasing evidence of suboptimal outcomes in diet-treated individuals, inconsistent PKU management practices, and the recent availability of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)) therapy have fueled the need for new management and treatment recommendations for this metabolic disorder. BH(4), now available as sapropterin dihydrochloride (sapropterin), may offer the potential for improved metabolic control as well as enhanced dietary Phe tolerance in some PKU patients. A group of metabolic dietitians from North America convened in June 2011 to draft recommendations for the use of sapropterin therapy in PKU. Physicians with extensive experience in PKU management were invited at a later date to contribute to the development of these recommendations. Based on extensive clinical experience and current evidence, the present recommendations provide guidance from patient selection and determination of sapropterin response to the long-term management of patients on sapropterin therapy. Target Phe levels, nutritional adequacy, neurocognitive screening and adherence to treatment are addressed to optimize patient outcomes.
Use of sapropterin dihydrochloride in maternal phenylketonuria. A European experience of eight cases. [2023]Sapropterin dihydrochloride (SD) is the first drug treatment for phenylketonuria (PKU), but due to the lack of data, its use in maternal PKU must be undertaken with caution as noted in the FDA and EMEA labels. We collected data from eight pregnancies in PKU women treated with SD and we analysed the phenotypes of these patients, their tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) responsiveness, the indications for SD treatment, the efficacy (metabolic control, phenylalanine (Phe) tolerance and offspring outcome) and the safety data. Results showed that in the seven patients known to be responsive to BH4, the use of SD during pregnancy was efficient in terms of metabolic control and Phe tolerance. The indications for giving SD included the failure of the low-Phe diet (n = 3), the fact that some of these women had never experienced the low Phe diet (n = 2), one unexpected pregnancy in a woman currently on SD and one pregnancy where the foetus was known to have PKU. The offspring of these seven pregnancies were all normal babies with normal birth measurements and outcomes. No side effect related to SD was observed in these seven cases. In the eighth case, SD was prescribed as a rescue treatment without previous knowledge of the BH4 responsiveness to a woman who was already 8 weeks pregnant without diet. The birth occurred at 33 weeks of gestational age with Potter syndrome (probably related to the absence of metabolic control during the first trimester) and the baby died in the first hours of life. In conclusion, the data presented here provides the first evidence that treatment with pharmacological doses of SD appears to be efficient and safe in women with PKU during pregnancy. Its use should, however, be restricted to those women previously identified to be clear responders to BH4.
Long-term safety and efficacy of sapropterin: the PKUDOS registry experience. [2023]The Phenylketonuria (PKU) Demographics, Outcomes and Safety (PKUDOS) registry is designed to provide longitudinal safety and efficacy data on subjects with PKU who are (or have been) treated with sapropterin dihydrochloride. The PKUDOS population consists of 1189 subjects with PKU: N = 504 who were continuously exposed to sapropterin from date of registry enrollment, N = 211 who had intermittent exposure to the drug, and N = 474 with some other duration of exposure. Subjects continuously exposed to sapropterin showed an average 34% decrease in blood phenylalanine (Phe)--from 591 ± 382 μmol/L at baseline to 392 ± 239 μmol/L (p = 0.0009) after 5 years. This drop in blood Phe was associated with an increase in dietary Phe tolerance [from 1000 ± 959 mg/day (pre-sapropterin baseline) to 1539 ± 840 mg/day after 6 years]. Drug-related adverse events (AEs) were reported in 6% of subjects, were mostly considered non-serious, and were identified in the gastrointestinal, respiratory, and nervous systems. Serious drug-related AEs were reported in ≤ 1% of subjects. Similar safety and efficacy data were observed for children
Phase I clinical evaluation of CNSA-001 (sepiapterin), a novel pharmacological treatment for phenylketonuria and tetrahydrobiopterin deficiencies, in healthy volunteers. [2023]Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is the natural cofactor of aromatic amino acid hydroxylases and essential for degradation of phenylalanine and synthesis of catecholamines and serotonin. It can be synthesized either de novo from GTP or through the salvage pathway from sepiapterin. Sepiapterin, a natural precursor of BH4, is a more stable molecule and is transported more efficiently across cellular membranes, thus having potentially significant advantage over BH4 as a pharmacological agent for diseases associated with BH4-deficient conditions. We report the results of a first-in-humans, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging, Phase I clinical trial in 83 healthy volunteers of CNSA-001, a novel formulation of sepiapterin. Single oral doses of 2.5-80 mg/kg CNSA-001 caused dose-related increases in plasma sepiapterin (mean Cmax 0.58-2.92 ng/mL) and BH4 (mean Cmax 57-312 ng/mL). Maximum plasma concentrations were achieved in about 1-2 h (sepiapterin) or about 4 h (BH4) after CNSA-001 oral intake. Increases in plasma BH4 were substantially larger in absolute terms and on a dose-for-dose basis following treatment with CNSA-001 vs. sapropterin dihydrochloride, a synthetic form of BH4. The pharmacokinetics of plasma sepiapterin and BH4 were similar before and after seven days of repeat daily dosing with CNSA-001 at 5, 20 or 60 mg/kg indicating little or no drug accumulation. Oral administration of CNSA-001 resulted in higher concentrations of sepiapterin in fasted vs. fed subjects, but overall BH4 plasma exposure following CNSA-001 intake increased by 1.7-1.8-fold in fed subjects. CNSA-001 was well tolerated, with no clear dose-relationship for adverse events (AE), no serious AE and no study discontinuations for AE. These data indicate that CNSA-001 is rapidly and efficiently converted to BH4 in humans supporting further clinical evaluation of CNSA-001 for the management of PKU, primary BH4 deficiencies and other diseases associated with deficient BH4 metabolism.
PTC923 (sepiapterin) lowers elevated blood phenylalanine in subjects with phenylketonuria: a phase 2 randomized, multi-center, three-period crossover, open-label, active controlled, all-comers study. [2023]Label="BACKGROUND & AIM">PTC923 (formerly CNSA-001), an oral formulation of sepiapterin, a natural precursor of intracellular tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), has been shown in humans to induce larger increases in circulating BH4 vs. sapropterin dihydrochloride. Sapropterin reduces blood phenylalanine (Phe) by ≥20-30% in a minority of subjects with PKU. This was a Phase 2 randomized, multicenter, three-period crossover, open-label, active controlled, all-comers [regardless of phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) variants] comparison of PTC923 60 mg/kg, PTC923 20 mg/kg and sapropterin 20 mg/kg in 24 adults with phenylketonuria (PKU) and hyperphenylalaninemia.