BACKGROUND
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for X-linked
severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1) often fails to reconstitute
immunity associated with T cells, B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells
when matched sibling donors are unavailable unless high-dose chemotherapy is
given. In previous studies, autologous gene therapy with
γ-retroviral vectors failed to reconstitute
B-cell and NK-cell immunity and was complicated by vector-related
leukemia.
METHODS
We performed a dual-center, phase 1–2 safety and efficacy
study of a lentiviral vector to transfer IL2RG
complementary DNA to bone marrow stem cells after low-exposure, targeted
busulfan conditioning in eight infants with newly diagnosed SCID-X1.
RESULTS
Eight infants with SCID-X1 were followed for a median of 16.4 months.
Bone marrow harvest, busulfan conditioning, and cell infusion had no
unexpected side effects. In seven infants, the numbers of CD3+, CD4+, and
naive CD4+ T cells and NK cells normalized by 3 to 4 months after infusion
and were accompanied by vector marking in T cells, B cells, NK cells,
myeloid cells, and bone marrow progenitors. The eighth infant had an
insufficient T-cell count initially, but T cells developed in this infant
after a boost of gene-corrected cells without busulfan conditioning.
Previous infections cleared in all infants, and all continued to grow
normally. IgM levels normalized in seven of the eight infants, of whom four
discontinued intravenous immune globulin supplementation; three of these
four in-fants had a response to vaccines. Vector insertion-site analysis was
performed in seven infants and showed polyclonal patterns without clonal
dominance in all seven.
CONCLUSIONS
Lentiviral vector gene therapy combined with low-exposure, targeted
busulfan conditioning in infants with newly diagnosed SCID-X1 had low-grade
acute toxic effects and resulted in multilineage engraftment of transduced
cells, reconstitution of functional T cells and B cells, and normalization
of NK-cell counts during a median follow-up of 16 months. (Funded by the
American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities and others; LVXSCID-ND
ClinicalTrials.gov number,
.)