Rapid Intravenous Infusion of Velaglucerase Alfa (VPRIV) in Treatment-naive Patients With Type 1 Gaucher Disease

Overview

During the past two years, the investigator has performed succsefully an IIR wherein patients with GD, previously treated with velaglucerase alfa ERT were gradually switched to a 10 minutes (rapid) administration of the same ERT. The success was expressed as safety (no clinically meaningful AEs, no antibodies detected, home therapy), efficacy ("lack of deterioration") and patients' satisfaction. The latter was based not just on specific questionnaires and analog scales, but particularly by the patients' sharing the experience with other patients and consequently repeated requests by many to switch to a rapid administration of their ERT. Therefore, the investigator is hereby proposing to investigate the safety and efficacy of a 10 minutes administration of velaglucerase alfa in a cohort of treatment-naive patients. The current VPRIV label is restricted to a dosage of 60 units/kg body weight every other week (60 units/kg EOW) - this dose will be used throughout the study period. The enzyme will be provided by Shire, which will also provide a research grant for the conduction of the trial.

Protocol: Study Design: This will be a single-center, open-label trial to assess the safety and efficacy of rapid administration of velaglucerase alfa (VPRIV) to treatment-naive patients with type I Gaucher disease. The first six infusions will be administered in the hospital: the first three infusions within 60, 30 and 20 minutes each, with the beginning of a 10 minutes administration from infusion #4. Following the three uneventful administration of the 10 minutes in the hospital, the bi-weekly ERT will continue as home therapy, as outlined in the protocol. The duration of the study will be 12 months, with an extension pending positive results. Number of Patients: 15. The first ten patients will be adults, and then children will be allowed to enroll in the trial.