Long-Term Efficacy of Subcutaneous C1 Inhibitor in Pediatric Patients with Hereditary Angioedema

Donald Levy1, Teresa Caballero2, Iftikhar Hussain3

  • 1University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.

Insights

Subcutaneous C1 inhibitor (C1INH) replacement therapy is effective for preventing hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in pediatric patients. Long-term prophylaxis with C1INH (SC) demonstrated significant reductions in HAE attack frequency and was well-tolerated in children and adolescents.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Genetics
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by recurrent swelling.
  • C1 inhibitor (C1INH) deficiency is a primary cause of HAE, leading to unpredictable edema attacks.
  • Subcutaneous C1 inhibitor (C1INH) replacement therapy is approved for HAE prophylaxis in adults and adolescents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of subcutaneous C1 inhibitor (C1INH) for hereditary angioedema (HAE) prophylaxis in pediatric patients (≤17 years old).
  • To compare the efficacy of C1INH (SC) in pediatric subjects with previously established adult data.

Main Methods:

  • An open-label extension (OLE) of the COMPACT trial included pediatric subjects (age ≥6 years) treated with C1INH (SC) 40 or 60 IU/kg twice weekly.
  • Treatment duration ranged from 52 to 140 weeks.
  • Efficacy endpoints, including attack frequency, were analyzed, with subgroup comparisons to adult data.

Main Results:

  • Ten pediatric subjects (mean age 13.3 years) received C1INH (SC) for 51-133 weeks.
  • All pediatric subjects achieved a ≥50% reduction in HAE attacks (mean 93% reduction).
  • A 97% reduction in median monthly attacks was observed, with most subjects experiencing less than one attack per year.

Conclusions:

  • Subcutaneous C1 inhibitor (C1INH) is an effective and well-tolerated long-term prophylactic treatment for hereditary angioedema (HAE) in children, adolescents, and adults.
  • The efficacy observed in pediatric subjects is comparable to that seen in adult populations.
  • C1INH (SC) represents a valuable therapeutic option for managing HAE in younger populations, reducing attack frequency and improving quality of life.