BrainStorm announces agreement with FDA on SPA for Phase 3b ALS trial

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics received written agreement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA), on the design for a Phase 3b trial of NurOwn in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The SPA agreement with the FDA validates the clinical trial protocol and statistical analysis of the planned Phase 3b trial of NurOwn, demonstrating their adequacy for addressing objectives that support a future BLA in ALS. BrainStorm anticipates commencement of the Phase 3b study in 2024, after reviewing the protocol with investigators, securing study site Institutional Review Board approvals, and engaging with appropriate members of the ALS community. The Phase 3b trial will be a two-part, multicenter, study designed to assess the efficacy and safety of NurOwn in patients with ALS. The entry criteria will enroll participants earlier in the course of their disease, having the onset of ALS symptoms, including limb weakness, within the prior 24 months, all ALSFRS-R items 2 at Screening, and upright slow vital capacity greater than=65% of predicted for gender, height and age. Patients will also be allowed to receive concomitant treatment of an approved standard of care. Part-A is a double blind, placebo-controlled period of 24 weeks duration. Up to approximately 200 patients are planned to be enrolled and randomized 1:1 to NurOwn or placebo treatment groups. There will be a screening period of six to nine weeks, during which eligible participants will undergo a single bone marrow aspiration procedure to procure the mesenchymal stem cells that will be used to manufacture each participant’s NurOwn treatment for the duration of the trial. Patients will then be randomized 1:1 and treated with NurOwn or placebo via three repeated intrathecal injections, once every eight weeks. All eligible patients who complete Part-A will have the option of entering Part-B, open-label extension period of 24 weeks duration, where all participants will receive three repeated intrathecal injections of NurOwn, once every eight weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint is the change in the Revised Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating total score from baseline to Week 24. Primary inference from the trial will be based on a p-value from the combined assessment of function and survival to account for mortality observed in the trial. Cerebrospinal Fluid and blood samples will be collected for analysis of biomarkers of neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and neuroprotection. An independent Data Monitoring Committee will monitor the safety of the trial participants.