Gene Transfer for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, X-linked (SCID-X1) Using a Self-inactivating (SIN) Gammaretroviral Vector

Severe combined immunodeficiencies (SCID) are a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders characterized by a profound reduction or absence of T lymphocyte function. They arise from a variety of molecular defects which affect lymphocyte development and function. The most common form of SCID is an X-linked form (SCID-X1) which accounts for 40-50% of all cases. SCID-X1 is caused by defects in the common cytokine receptor chain, which was originally identified as a component of the high affinity interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2RG), but is now known to be an essential component of the IL-4, -7, -9 -15, and -21 cytokine receptor complexes. Classic SCID-X1 has an extremely poor prognosis without treatment. Death usually occurs in the first year of life from infectious complications unless definitive treatment can be administered. Until the recent advent of somatic gene therapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) offered the only curative option for patients with any form of SCID. If a genotypically matched sibling donor is available, HSCT is a highly successful procedure. However a genotypically matched family donor is only available for approximately 30% of patients. For the remaining individuals, alternative donor transplants, principally from matched unrelated or haploidentical parental donors have been performed. These approaches are still problematic with toxicity from ablative therapy, graft-versus-host disease and incomplete lymphoid reconstitution. Recent gene transfer trials have documented the efficacy of gene transfer in this disease, albeit with toxicity related to insertional mutagenesis. A new generation of self-inactivating (SIN) vectors has been developed which lack all enhancer-promoter elements of the LTR U3 region and are also devoid of all gammaretroviral coding regions. A SIN vector expressing the IL-2RG gene, pSRS11.EFS.IL2RG.pre\* has been developed and has shown a reduction in mutagenic potential compared to LTR configuration in non-clinical studies. The current study is a phase I/II trial of somatic gene therapy for patients with SCID-X1.