Fidanacogene Elaparvovec for Hemophilia B - A Multiyear Follow-up Study

Treatment with fidanacogene elaparvovec, a recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector developed for the treatment of hemophilia B, led to sustained expression of the high-activity factor IX variant (FIX-R338L, or FIX-Padua) in a phase 1-2a study. The long-term safety and efficacy of this treatment are not known.

In a 12-month study, 15 participants with severe or moderately severe hemophilia B (factor IX coagulant activity, ≤2% of the normal value) received fidanacogene elaparvovec at a dose of 5×10¹¹ vector genomes (vg) per kilogram of body weight; thereafter, participants could enroll in a 5-year follow-up study. Safety end points included adverse events and changes in laboratory measures. Efficacy end points included the annualized rate of treated bleeding events (annualized bleeding rate) and factor IX activity.

A total of 14 participants provided consent and completed at least 3 years of follow-up (median, 5.5; range 3 to 6); participation was ongoing among 8 at the data cutoff. None of the participants reported treatment-related adverse events after year 1. Throughout follow-up, nine serious adverse events were noted in 4 participants; none were thrombotic or treatment-related. No factor IX inhibitors were detected. Throughout follow-up, mean factor IX activity was in the mild hemophilia range; the mean annualized bleeding rate was less than 1, and 10 participants had no treated bleeding episodes. Surveillance liver ultrasounds obtained from year 1 onward showed no evidence of cancer but showed steatosis in 4 participants who had weight gain and elevated aminotransferase levels (maximum alanine aminotransferase level, 77 U per liter). One participant with a history of hepatitis C, hepatitis B, human immunodeficiency virus infection, and an elevated body-mass index had progression of underlying advanced liver fibrosis. A total of 13 surgical procedures were performed in 8 participants; exogenous factor IX was administered for 10 procedures, and no associated unexpected bleeding complications occurred.

Fidanacogene elaparvovec was associated with no or only low-grade adverse effects over a period of 3 to 6 years. Efficacy was maintained in the long term at 5×10¹¹ vg per kilogram, one of the lowest intravenous doses of AAV used for any indication. (Funded by Pfizer; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03307980.).