Efficacy and safety of efavirenz in Niemann-Pick disease type C

Abstract

Introduction

In search of disease-modifying treatments for the Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC), this Phase II single-arm clinical trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of efavirenz, a reverse transcriptase inhibitor that potentially ameliorates neuronal cholesterol turnover, typically impaired in this rare lysosomal storage disorder.

Material and methods

Patients 14 years of age or older with genetically confirmed NPC received efavirenz 25 mg/day (Weeks 1–26) or 100 mg/day (Weeks 27–52) orally on top of standard care including miglustat. The primary endpoint was the proportion of response, defined as lack of deterioration in a composite outcome of cognitive performance. Secondary endpoints included the quantitative scores of several clinical neuropsychological assessment tools, some relevant neurological signs and symptoms, and imaging and biological specimen-based biomarkers. Measures were taken repeatedly over time and were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models.

Results

Sixteen patients 15–60 years of age were enrolled. All (100.0 %, 95 % exact confidence interval: 79.4–100.0 %) met the primary endpoint response criterion at Week 52. Quantitative neuropsychological assessments yielded more nuanced results, with relative preservation of learning, memory and executive control, and subtle impairments of verbal fluency, selective and divided attention, and cognitive inhibition. Some patients had better responses than others, allowing us to set two well-differentiated subgroups that differed essentially in the time since symptoms onset. No efavirenz-related or serious adverse events were reported.

Conclusion

Efavirenz appears to be a safe, easy-to-use, new targeted therapeutic option which slows the rate of NPC progression. The benefits of efavirenz are greater if started earlier.

Trial Registration

Registered on the European Union Clinical Trials Register (EurdraCT) on December 20th, 2019 under the number: 2019-004498-18 (https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2019-004498-18/ES/). The first patient was enrolled on May 25th, 2022.