A Phase 2 Study of the Effects of 6R-BH4 in Subjects With Sickle Cell Disease

This Phase 2a, multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation study was designed to assess the safety and biological activity of once-daily (or twice-daily \[BID\], only for the highest dose level) oral administration of 4 escalating doses of sapropterin dihydrochloride to subjects with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD); 32 subjects were enrolled in the dose-escalation phase of this study. Subjects received oral, once daily (for 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg/day) or BID (for 20 mg/kg/day) doses of sapropterin dihydrochloride during a 16-week, dose-escalation period, with dose levels increasing within subjects every 4 weeks, as follows: 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg/day. At the highest dose level (20 mg/kg/day), the total dose of sapropterin dihydrochloride was divided, half of the tablets taken in the morning within 1 hour after a meal, and half approximately 12 hours later (or BID) within 1 hour after a meal. The extension phase of this study was terminated.