Can a single injection restore sight in a rare childhood blindness?
NCT ID NCT03920007
First seen Aug 03, 2026 · Last updated Aug 04, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests a gene therapy called ATSN-101, given as a one-time injection under the retina, for people with Leber congenital amaurosis caused by GUCY2D gene mutations. The goal is to see if the treatment is safe and can improve vision. Participants receive the therapy in one eye, with the other eye serving as a comparison. The study will monitor for side effects and measure changes in visual acuity over a year.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- ATSN-101, a gene therapy injected under the retina
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this one-time gene therapy could restore meaningful vision in people with a rare inherited blindness, potentially offering a long-term cure.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage trial with only 15 participants, so results may not apply broadly. Risks include side effects from the injection or the therapy not working as hoped.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
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15 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Oct 2019
- Expected to finish
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May 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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6 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion criteria : * Male or female participant with clinical diagnosis of Leber congenital amaurosis caused by biallelic mutations in the GUCY2D (retinal guanylate cyclase) gene with all of the following: a) Documented mutations in both alleles of the GUCY2D gene per testing in a CLIA-approved laboratory, b) For Cohort 1-3, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/200 or worse in the eye to be injected; subsequent cohorts may include BCVA of 20/80 or worse in the eye to be injected, c) Photoreceptor (outer nuclear) layer structure identifiable on an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan across the central retina. * Age ≥18 years for Cohorts 1 through 4, and age ≥ 6 years and \<18 years for Cohort 5. * Male and female participants must follow the contraception requirements of the trial. * Participants must agree to not donate blood, organs, tissues, cells or sperm for at least three months following ATSN-101 administration. Exclusion criteria: * Complicating systemic diseases (such as medical conditions causing immunosuppression) that would preclude the gene transfer, ocular surgery or planned study procedures. * History of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. * Pre-existing eye conditions in the study eye that would preclude the planned surgery or interfere with the assessment and interpretation of study endpoints: for example, glaucoma or optic neuropathy that has resulted in significant visual loss, corneal or lenticular abnormalities or opacities that would preclude view of the fundus or performance of the outcome measures, uveitis, retinopathy and maculopathy that in the opinion of the Investigator are causing significant visual loss. * Presence of significant ocular abnormalities in the study eye that in the opinion of the Investigator would preclude the planned surgery, effective safety follow-up, or interfere with the interpretation of study endpoints (eg, glaucoma, corneal or significant lens abnormalities or opacities, pre-existing uveitis, intraocular infection, choroidal neovascularization). * Any contraindication to the planned surgical procedure, such as contraindications to the use of anaesthesia or allergy to medications planned in the peri-operative period. * Known allergy or hypersensitivity to any component of the investigational medicinal product (IMP), diagnostic agents used during the study or medications planned for use in the peri-operative period, particularly corticosteroids. * Women who are pregnant (defined as positive beta-Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) blood or urine test), lactating or breastfeeding. * Any ocular procedure, either planned or performed within 6 months of Day 1, which would interfere with the planned surgery or the interpretation of study endpoints in the opinion of the Principal Investigator (PI). * Laboratory test abnormalities or abnormalities in electrocardiogram that in the opinion of the PI would make the participant unsuitable for participation in the study. * Significant intercurrent illness or infection during the 28 days prior to enrollment. * Current substance use disorder. * Use of any investigational agent administered within 5 times the elimination half-life of that investigational agent prior to ATSN-101 administration. * Enrollment in any other clinical treatment study, for any condition, including those relating to GUCY2D-LCA, throughout the duration of the ATSN-101 study participation. * Use of anticoagulation therapy within two weeks prior to surgery. * Use of immunosuppressive medications. * Current, planned during the course of this trial, or past (within 5 times the elimination half-life of that therapy prior to ATSN-101 administration) use of anti-viral therapy that would inactivate the investigational agent. * Received gene therapy within the last 15 years. The above information is not intended to contain all considerations relevant to a patient's potential participation in a clinical trial.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Casey Eye Institute - Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, Oregon, 97239, United States
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Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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