rAAV-Olig001-ASPA Gene Therapy for Treatment of Children With Typical Canavan Disease

Summary

Canavan Disease is a congenital white matter disorder caused by mutations to the gene encoding for aspartoacylase (ASPA). Expression of ASPA is restricted to oligodendrocytes, the sole white matter producing lineage in the brain. ASPA supports myelination in the capacity of its sole known function, namely, the catabolism of N-acetylaspartate (NAA). Inherited mutations that result in loss of ASPA catabolic activity result in a typically severe phenotype of Canavan Disease, characterized by chronically elevated brain NAA, gross motor abnormalities, hypomyelination, progressive spongiform degeneration of the brain, epilepsy, blindness, and a short life expectancy. Disease severity is correlated with residual levels of enzyme activity. Reconstitution of ASPA function in oligodendrocytes of the brains of Canavan patients is expected to rescue NAA metabolism in its natural cellular compartment and support myelination/remyelination by resident white matter producing cells. This protocol directly targets oligodendrocytes in the brain, which are intimately involved with disease initiation and progression. Targeting oligodendrocytes offers the safest and most direct therapy for affected individuals. The latest generation AAV viral vector (rAAV-Olig001-ASPA) will be administered to patients using neurosurgical procedure which involves direct administration of gene therapy to affected regions of the brain. Outcome measures for the open label clinical trial include longitudinal clinical assessments and brain imaging. Currently, there is no effective treatment for Canavan Disease. The purpose of this study is to validate a new technology targeted to the cells most affected by Canavan Disease in the safest way possible. The study investigators are committed to supporting the Rare Disease \& Canavan Disease Communities. For more information, please contact Jordana Holovach, Head of Communications and Community at [email protected].

Timeline

Start

2021-04-01

Primary completion

2026-08-31

Completion

2027-08-31

Publications

• Background Francis JS, Markov V, Wojtas ID, Gray S, McCown T, Samulski RJ, Figueroa M, Leone P. Preclinical biodistribution, tropism, and efficacy of oligotropic AAV/Olig001 in a mouse model of congenital white matter disease. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. 2021 Jan 21;20:520-534. doi: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.01.009. eCollection 2021 Mar 12.
• Background Francis JS, Wojtas I, Markov V, Gray SJ, McCown TJ, Samulski RJ, Bilaniuk LT, Wang DJ, De Vivo DC, Janson CG, Leone P. N-acetylaspartate supports the energetic demands of developmental myelination via oligodendroglial aspartoacylase. Neurobiol Dis. 2016 Dec;96:323-334. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2016.10.001. Epub 2016 Oct 4.
• Leone P, Lober RM, Francis J, Flamini O, Cecil KM, Shera D, Janson CG. Oligodendrocyte-targeted adeno-associated virus gene therapy for Canavan disease in children: a phase 1/2 trial. Nat Med. 2025 Nov;31(11):3772-3779. doi: 10.1038/s41591-025-03919-w. Epub 2025 Sep 16.

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