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Taysha Gene Therapies Announces Queen’s University’s Receipt of Clinical Trial Application Approval from Health Canada for Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial of TSHA-101 for the Treatment of Infantile GM2 Gangliosidosis
TSHA-101 to be first bicistronic vector evaluated in human clinical trials; TSHA-101 designed to deliver both HEXA and HEXB transgenes within a single AAV9 vector construct
TSHA-101 CTA is the second clinical trial clearance received, in addition to TSHA-118’s open investigational new drug application for CLN1
Interim data from Phase 1/2 trial anticipated in 2021
Dallas – December 21, 2020 – Taysha Gene Therapies, Inc. (Nasdaq: TSHA), a patient-centric gene therapy company focused on developing and commercializing AAV-based gene therapies for the treatment of monogenic diseases of the central nervous system in both rare and large patient populations, today announced that Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada, received Clinical Trial Application (CTA) approval from Health Canada for its investigator-sponsored Phase 1/2 trial exploring TSHA-101, Taysha’s investigational AAV9-based gene therapy, for the treatment of infantile GM2 gangliosidosis.
“TSHA-101 will be the first bicistronic vector to enter a first-in-human clinical study, which is a significant milestone for Taysha and for the field of gene therapy,” said Suyash Prasad, MBBS, M.SC., MRCP, MRCPCH, FFPM, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Research and Development of Taysha. “GM2 is a devastating lysosomal storage disease with no approved treatments and today’s CTA approval marks a formative moment for children suffering from this rapidly progressive and fatal disease.”
The trial will be a single arm, open-label Phase 1/2 trial evaluating the use of TSHA-101 for the treatment of infants with GM2. The study will be sponsored by Queen’s University and led by Jagdeep S. Walia, MBBS, FRCPC, FCCMG, Clinical Geneticist and Associate Professor Head, Division of Medical Genetics (Department of Pediatrics) at Queen’s, and Director of Research (Department of Pediatrics) at the Kingston Health Sciences Centre.
“Preclinical evidence to date supports our belief that TSHA-101, when given intrathecally as a bicistronic transgene packaged into a single AAV9 vector, has the potential to address the lysosomal enzyme deficiency, to change the disease trajectory and to improve patient survival,” said Dr. Jagdeep S. Walia. “We are pleased to have the support of Health Canada as we continue to advance TSHA-101.”
“Today’s CTA approval is a culmination of our team’s and Dr. Walia’s tireless efforts and a momentous occasion for children affected by GM2 along with their parents and caregivers,” said RA Session II, Founder, President and CEO of Taysha. “We are grateful to our partners at Queen’s University for their work to advance this gene therapy into the clinic.”