The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has announced the launch of the MDA Kickstart program, a collaborative initiative aimed at developing gene therapies for ultra-rare neuromuscular diseases. This program seeks to address the translational gap between early academic research and the availability of approved therapies for conditions that often lack commercial interest.
The inaugural project under the MDA Kickstart program will focus on developing a gene therapy for Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome (CMS) caused by mutations in the CHAT gene. This specific form of CMS affects an estimated 200 children and adults in the United States and is characterized by muscle weakness and potentially fatal episodes of respiratory arrest.
Addressing Unmet Needs in Ultra-Rare NMDs
"The Muscular Dystrophy Association recognizes that many neuromuscular diseases may be too rare to be commercially attractive for therapy development by drug companies," said Sharon Hesterlee, PhD, Chief Research Officer, MDA. "The new MDA Kickstart Program is an in-house gene therapy program that will partner with academic, corporate and community groups to move these therapies forward by creating economies of scale and improving valuation of these therapies."
It is estimated that 95% of rare disease patients do not have an approved therapy or one in development. The MDA Kickstart program seeks to ethically and efficiently address this unmet need by de-risking gene therapy development for ultra-rare NMDs.
Collaboration with UC Davis
The first MDA Kickstart project, led by Ricardo A. Maselli, MD, Professor of Neurology at UC Davis, will concentrate on gene therapy for CMS resulting from CHAT gene mutations. The CHAT gene encodes choline acetyltransferase, an enzyme crucial for synthesizing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Defects in this enzyme disrupt nerve-to-muscle signal transmission, leading to muscle weakness and potential respiratory arrest.
"CMS due to CHAT mutations is a serious disease because of the risk of sudden, potentially fatal, episodes of respiratory arrest. When suspected, this disease can be easily diagnosed with blood genetic testing in newborns and infants. Unfortunately, in many cases, the disease remains undiagnosed until adulthood," said Dr. Maselli.
The collaboration will leverage UC Davis's Stem Cell Program and Gene Therapy Center, including its Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) laboratory, to generate a preclinical data package for FDA pre-IND submission.
Manufacturing Partnership with Forge Biologics
MDA has partnered with Forge Biologics to provide AAV process and analytical development manufacturing services. Forge Biologics will utilize its HEK293 suspension Ignition Cells™ and pEMBR™ adenovirus helper plasmid platform. All activities will take place at Forge’s facility in Columbus, Ohio.
"Collaborating with the Muscular Dystrophy Association embodies our mission at Forge to help deliver potentially life-changing treatments to patients suffering from rare disease," said John Maslowski, Chief Commercial Officer at Forge Biologics.
Regulatory Pathway and Priority Review Voucher
MDA has applied for Orphan Drug Designation and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation from the FDA. Approval of the latter could lead to a Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher upon FDA marketing approval, contingent on the reauthorization of the Rare Pediatric Disease PRV program.
"MDA’s Kickstart program, and our efforts to develop a gene therapy for Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome (CMS) caused by mutations in the CHAT gene, are the exact kinds of programs that rely on the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher incentivizing for-profit biopharmaceutical companies to bring these therapies to market" said Paul Melmeyer, Executive Vice President, Public Policy and Advocacy, MDA.
