A gene therapy developed through international collaboration is showing promise in treating Spastic Paraplegia 50 (SPG50), a rare and devastating neurological disorder. The journey to this breakthrough began with a Canadian family's desperate search for a cure for their son, Michael, who was diagnosed with the condition. Their efforts led them across the globe and resulted in a treatment that has shown remarkable improvements in initial patients.
A Family's Determination Leads to Therapeutic Breakthrough
After Michael's diagnosis with SPG50, a condition affecting fewer than 100 people worldwide, his parents, Terry and Georgia Pirovolakis, dedicated themselves to finding a treatment. They invested their life savings into research and development, eventually collaborating with researchers in the United States and a pharmaceutical company in Spain to develop a gene therapy.
Terry Pirovolakis's determination led him to Washington D.C., the University of Cambridge, and ultimately to Spain. The family liquidated their assets and funded a team at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre to develop a 'proof of concept' for Michael's gene therapy.
The experimental therapy involves gene transfer to correct the underlying genetic defect in SPG50. Preclinical studies demonstrated that the gene therapy halted the progression of SPG50 in mice and human in vitro cells, providing a strong rationale for clinical translation.
Clinical Success and Expansion Efforts
Michael received the gene therapy in March 2022, becoming the first person with SPG50 to undergo the procedure. Following the treatment, doctors observed significant improvements in his motor skills, coordination, and speech. These positive outcomes prompted the family to donate the remaining doses from the initial batch to other children with SPG50.
Building on this success, Terry Pirovolakis established Elpida Therapeutics to further develop treatments for rare diseases. A phase 2 trial involving three children with SPG50 yielded positive results, reinforcing the potential of the gene therapy. Elpida Therapeutics is now preparing for a phase 3 trial at the NIH in November to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of the treatment.
Financial Hurdles and Community Support
Despite the promising clinical results, Elpida Therapeutics faces significant financial challenges. The company has exhausted its funds after securing eight doses of the drug from Spain, highlighting the high costs associated with rare disease drug development. The small market size for SPG50 has also deterred potential investors, making it difficult to secure additional funding.
Families of other children with SPG50 are also struggling to access the treatment. Rebekah Lockard, whose daughter Naomi has SPG50 and is a candidate for the upcoming trial, emphasized the urgency of the situation: "The treatment is here, just literally sitting in a refrigerator, ready to go. Doctors are ready. There just isn’t enough money to make it happen."
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to raise funds for Naomi and other children to participate in the clinical trial and receive the potentially life-saving gene therapy. The campaign aims to raise $1,000,000 to cover the costs of manufacturing and administering the drug.
