UC Irvine

Objective

To determine whether locally acting ACE-083 is safe, well tolerated, and increases muscle volume, motor function, and quality of life (QoL) in adults with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) type 1.

Methods

This phase 2 study enrolled adults with CMT1 or CMTX (N=63). Part 1 was open-label and evaluated safety and tolerability of different dose levels of ACE-083 for use in Part 2. Part 2 was a randomized, placebo-controlled, 6-month study of 240 mg/muscle ACE-083 injected bilaterally in the tibialis anterior muscle, followed by a 6-month, open-label extension in which all patients received ACE-083. Pharmacodynamic endpoints included total muscle volume (TMV; primary endpoint), contractile muscle volume (CMV), and fat fraction. Additional secondary endpoints included 6-minute walk test, 10-meter walk/run, muscle strength, and QoL. Safety was assessed with treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and clinical laboratory tests.

Results

In Part 1 (n=18), ACE-083 was generally safe and well tolerated at all dose levels, with no serious AEs, TEAEs ≥Grade 3, or death reported. In Part 2 (n=45 enrolled, n=44 treated), there was significantly greater change in TMV with ACE-083 compared with placebo (LS mean difference: 13.5%; p = 0.0096). There was significant difference between ACE-083 and placebo for CMV and change in ankle dorsiflexion strength. Fat fraction and all other functional outcomes were not significantly improved by ACE-083. Moderate-to-mild injection-site reactions were the most common TEAEs.

Conclusions

Despite significantly increased TMV and CMV, patients with CMT receiving ACE-083 in tibialis anterior muscles did not demonstrate greater functional improvement compared with those receiving placebo.

Classification of evidence

This study provides Class II evidence that intramuscular ACE-083 is safe, well tolerated, and increases total muscle volume after 6 months of treatment in adults with CMT1 or CMTX.