ABO-201 is being developed by Abeona Therapeutics as a gene therapy for a form of Batten disease known as juvenile Batten disease.
The investigative treatment is at preclinical stages of development. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted orphan drug status to ABO-201 in 2017.
How ABO-201 works
In juvenile Batten disease, the CLN3 gene is mutated. Sometimes the mutations leads to parts of the gene to be missing. The CLN3 gene provides instructions to make a protein called battenin, which is normally found across cell membranes. Mutations in the CLN3 gene are thought to disrupt the function of battenin. The exact function of battenin protein is not yet understood.
ABO-201 is a type of gene therapy where the intact CLN3 gene is delivered into the cells with the help of a special virus, called adeno-associated virus (AAV). All harmful parts of the virus are removed, and after delivering the CLN3 gene to the cells, the virus dies.
It is hoped that the intact CLN3 gene delivered to the cells in this way will enable them to produce functional battenin protein.
ABO-201 research
Researchers in the U.S. assessed the effectiveness of ABO-201 treatment in a preclinical study using mice carrying a deletion in the CLN3 gene. This mutation is also common in people with juvenile Batten disease. They treated the mice with a single dose of ABO-201, which significantly restored motor activity to almost the same levels seen in healthy control mice, within one month.
Additional information
Clinical trials testing the safety and effectiveness of ABO-201 in humans are planned to start soon. Up-to-date information can be found on ClinicalTrials.gov.
***
Batten Disease News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.