Long-term Outcome of N-Carbamylglutamate Treatment in Propionic Acidemia and Methylmalonic Acidemia

Methods/Design This 5-year, Phase II, double-blind study aims to recruit and enroll 34 PA and MMA patients during acute episodes of hyperammonemia.

The primary aim is to circumvent the long-term neurodevelopmental decline due to having a prolonged levels of ammonia during crisis in the blood and urine. After treatment and crisis resolution with Carbaglu or placebo and standard of care therapy, measures of neurodevelopmental outcomes (Bayley II and Functional Status Scale) are being measured at 9, 15,21 and 30 months post-discharge from the hospital. Safety of NCG treatment will also be monitored as measured by close examination of adverse events and laboratory blood tests. To test for the effectiveness of NCG, longitudinal models to evaluate the groupwise difference (NCG vs. Placebo) in the trajectory of change in neurodevelopmental outcomes and safety analyses between drug and placebo patients.

Subsequent Episodes At any time after the initial episode, participants may present to the hospital with PA- or MMA-associated symptoms. If the plasma ammonia level verified as a bonafide episode of HA (plasma ammonia is ≥ 100 µmol/l), that participant will receive the same study medication that they received during their initial episode in a double-blinded fashion, (i.e. If the participant received NCG at the time of initial randomization, he/she will continue to receive NCG at each subsequent HA episode. If the participant received PLBO at the time of initial randomization, he/she will continue to receive PLBO at each subsequent HA episode). Only the pharmacist will know if the participant receives NCG or PLBO. The same study assessments (previously stated) will be conducted at each qualifying HSA episode.