Experimental gene therapy aims to halt devastating brain disease in infants
NCT ID NCT04771416
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 01, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests a gene therapy called PBKR03 for babies with early infantile Krabbe disease, a severe genetic disorder that damages the brain and nerves. The treatment delivers a working copy of the GALC gene to the brain and body. Researchers will check safety and find the best dose in 24 infants up to 9 months old.
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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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About 24 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Feb 2022
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2030
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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1 month to 9 months
- 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: 1. \> 1 month and \< 9 months of age at enrollment, either presymptomatic or symptomatic with first symptoms of Krabbe Disease at \< 6 months of age 2. Leukocyte GALC activity below lower limit of normal (LLN) 3. Whole blood psychosine \> 10 nM 4. Biallelic pathogenic GALC gene variants previously associated with early infantile Krabbe Disease or variants classified as likely pathogenic 5. Parents or the subject's legally authorized representative provide written informed consent prior to any study-related procedures, including screening evaluations 6. Symptomatic subjects must exhibit a minimum level of neurological and developmental function that indicates that they have the potential to benefit from treatment, at least with slowing or stabilization of their disease. In particular, the subject must demonstrate the following clinical features (when age-appropriate): * Thrusting of legs in play * Lifting of head * Eyes follow moving person * Smiles in response to speaker's attention Exclusion Criteria: 1. Any clinically significant neurocognitive deficit not attributable to Krabbe disease. 2. An acute illness requiring hospitalization within 30 days of enrollment. 3. History of chronic ventilation assisted respiratory support (defined as more than 12 hours/day of bilevel positive airway pressure, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or ventilator) or a need for tracheostomy as a result of their disease. Note: This does not exclude patients who use respiratory vests. 4. Intractable seizure or uncontrolled epilepsy defined as having had an episode of status epilepticus, or seizures requiring hospitalization. 5. Family history of seizures or epilepsy of infantile or childhood onset, other than febrile seizures. This does not exclude subjects with a family history of Krabbe disease. 6. Any contraindication to the ICM administration procedure, including contraindications to fluoroscopic imaging, intrathecal contrast and anesthesia or any condition that would increase the risk of adverse outcomes from the ICM procedure including, but not limited to, the presence of a space occupying lesion, aberrant vascular anatomy or congenital anatomical abnormalities such as a Chiari malformation. 7. Any contraindication to MRI or lumbar puncture (LP). 8. Prior gene therapy. 9. Enrollment in any other clinical study with an investigational product within 4 weeks prior to Screening or within 5 half-lives of the investigational product used in that clinical study, whichever is longer. 10. Prior Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) 11. Receipt of a vaccine within 14 days prior to or after dosing. 12. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \<60 mL/minute/1.73 m2 based on creatinine 13. Hematological abnormalities * Coagulopathy (INR \> 1.5) or activated partial thromboplastin time \[aPTT\] \> 40 seconds * WBC \< 5.5 x 103 cells/ μL * Hemoglobin \<10 g/dL * Thromobcytopenia (platelet count \< 100,000 per μL.) 14. AST or ALT \> 3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) or total bilirubin \> 1.5x ULN 15. Abnormal respiratory function 1. Required suctioning in the absence of upper respiratory tract infection 2. Hypoxemia (oxygen \[O2\] saturation awake less than 96% or O2 saturation asleep less than 96%, without ventilation support) as assessed during screening. Ventilatory support is defined as dependence on supplemental O2 or use of a ventilator or bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPap) or continuous positive airway pressure (Cpap) machine. 16. Poor peripheral perfusion or temperature instability in the absence of intercurrent illness 17. Medical conditions or laboratory or vital sign abnormalities that would increase risk of complications from intra-cisterna magna injection, anesthesia, fluoroscopy, LP, and/or MRI 18. Any condition (e.g., history of any disease, evidence of any current disease, any finding upon physical examination, or any laboratory abnormality) that, in the opinion of the investigator, would put the subject at undue risk during the administration procedure or would interfere with evaluation of PBKR01 or interpretation of subject safety or study results.
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
9 sites in 6 countries. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Amsterdam UMC
Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Ann & Robert Lurie
Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
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Hospital De Clinicas De Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Manchester University
Manchester, United Kingdom
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Montreal Children's Hospital
Montreal, Canada
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New York-Presbyterian
New York, New York, 10065, United States
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Shaare Zadek Medical Center
Jerusalem, Israel
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The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
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University of Utah School of Medicine
Salt Lake City, Utah, 84132, United States
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