Chinese hamster ovary cell-derived recombinant human acid α-glucosidase in infantile-onset Pompe disease

Objective: To conduct an open-label, multinational, multicenter study examining the safety and efficacy of recombinant human acid alpha-glucosidase (rhGAA) in treatment of infantile-onset Pompe disease. Study design: We enrolled 8 infant patients who had Pompe disease with GAA activity < 1% of normal, cardiomyopathy, and hypotonia. In the 52-week initial phase, rhGAA was infused intravenously at 10 mg/kg weekly; an extension phase continued survivors' treatment with 10 to 20 mg/kg of rhGAA weekly or 20 mg/kg every 2 weeks for as long its 153 weeks. Safety measurements included adverse events, laboratory tests, and anti-rhGAA antibody titers. Efficacy evaluations included survival, ventilator use echo- cardiograms growth and motor and cognitive function. Result: After 52 weeks of treatment, 6 of 8 patients were alive, mid 5 patients were free of invasive ventilator support. Clinical improvements included ameliorated cardiomyopathy and improved growth and cognition. Five patients acquired new motor milestones; 3 patients walked independently. Four patients died after the initial study phase; the median age at death or treatment withdrawal for all patients was 21.7 months, significantly later than expected for patients who were not treated. Treatment was safe and well tolerated: no death was drug-related. Conclusion: rhGAA improved ventilator-free survival, cardiomyopathy, growth, and motor function in patients with infantile-onset Pompe disease compared with outcomes expected for patients without treatment.