Spinal Muscular AtrophyPhase 2NURTURENCT02386553
A Study of Multiple Doses of Nusinersen (ISIS 396443) Delivered to Infants With Genetically Diagnosed and Presymptomatic Spinal Muscular Atrophy
A Phase 2 study testing Nusinersen in people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, run by Biogen at 21 sites in 7 countries.
Trial summary
The primary objective of the study is to examine the efficacy of multiple doses of Nusinersen administered intrathecally in preventing or delaying the need for respiratory intervention or death in infants with genetically diagnosed and presymptomatic spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 0 to 6 weeks
- Conditions the study is for
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- What is being tested?
- Nusinersen
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 25 participants
- Where
- 21 sitesin 7 countries
- Study dates
- 18 May 2015to 17 Dec 2024
- Phase
- Phase 2
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 0 to 6 weeks
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Age ≤ 6 weeks at first dose.
- Genetic documentation of 5q SMA homozygous gene deletion or mutation or compound heterozygous mutation.
- Genetic documentation of 2 or 3 copies of survival motor neuron 2 (SMN2).
- Ulnar compound muscle action potential (CMAP) ≥ 1 mV at Baseline.
- Gestational age of 37 to 42 weeks for singleton births; gestational age of 34 to 42 weeks for twins.
- Meet additional study related criteria.
Who cannot join
- Hypoxemia (oxygen saturation <96% awake or asleep without any supplemental oxygen or respiratory support).
- Any clinical signs or symptoms at Screening or immediately prior to the first dosing (Day 1) that are, in the opinion of the Investigator, strongly suggestive of SMA.
- Clinically significant abnormalities in hematology or clinical chemistry parameters.
- Treatment with an investigational drug given for the treatment of SMA biological agent, or device. Any history of gene therapy, prior antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) treatment, or cell transplantation.
- Meet additional study related criteria.
- Note: Other protocol defined Inclusion/Exclusion criteria may apply.
Trial locations and contacts
21 sites in 7 countries.
21 sites in 7 countries
United States11 sites
Children's Hospital Colorado
Aurora, Colorado, 80045
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland, 21205
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02114
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, 60611-2605
David Geffen School of Medicine
Los Angeles, California, 90095
Columbia University
New York, New York, 10032
Nemours Children's Hospital, Orlando
Orlando, Florida, 32827
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
University of California Davis Health System
Sacramento, California, 95817
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112
Seattle Children's Research Institute
Seattle, Washington, 98101
Australia2 sites
Royal Children's Hospital
Parkville, Victoria, 3052
Queensland Children's Hospital
South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101
Italy2 sites
Fondazione Serena Onlus - Centro Clinico Nemo
Milan, 20162
Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù
Rome, Lazio, 165
Taiwan2 sites
Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital
Kaohsiung City, 807
National Taiwan University Hospital
Taipei, 100
Turkey (Türkiye)2 sites
Hacettepe University Medical Faculty
Ankara, 6230
Yeditepe University Medical School Hospital
Istanbul, 31755
Germany1 site
Universitaetsklinikum Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Wurttemberg, 79106
About this study
Official title: An Open-Label Study to Assess the Efficacy, Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Multiple Doses of ISIS 396443 Delivered Intrathecally to Subjects With Genetically Diagnosed and Presymptomatic Spinal Muscular Atrophy
The primary objective of the study is to examine the efficacy of multiple doses of Nusinersen administered intrathecally in preventing or delaying the need for respiratory intervention or death in infants with genetically diagnosed and presymptomatic spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Secondary objectives of this study are to examine the effects of Nusinersen in infants with genetically diagnosed and presymptomatic SMA.
- Conditions
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Being tested
- Nusinersen
- Keywords
- NURTURE
- Medical subject headings
- Muscular Atrophy, Spinal
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
NusinersenDrug
Also called ISIS 396443, BIIB058, ISIS SMNRx, Spinraza
Solution for intrathecal injection
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Nusinersen | Experimental | Nusinersen administered as an intrathecal injection Receives: Drug: Nusinersen |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Time to Death or Respiratory Intervention
The time was the age of the participant at the first occurrence of either a respiratory intervention or death. Respiratory intervention was defined as invasive or noninvasive ventilation for ≥6 hours/day continuously for 7 or more days OR tracheostomy.
Measured: Screening up to Day 2891
Secondary outcomes (27)
Proportion of Participants Developing Clinically Manifested Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
A participant was considered having clinically manifested SMA if any of the following occurred:
- Age-adjusted weight <5th percentile or decrease of ≥2 major weight growth curve percentiles (3rd, 5th, 10th, 25th, or 50th) or a percutaneous gastric tube placement for nutritional support
- Failure to achieve the ability to sit without support
- Failure to achieve standing with assistance
- Failure to achieve hands-and-knees crawling
- Failure to achieve walking with assistance by 24 months of age
- Failure to achieve standing alone by 24 months of age
- Failure to achieve walking alone by 24 months of age
Measured: At 13 and 24 months of age
Percentage of Participants Alive
Measured: Up to 8 years of age
Percentage of Participants Who Attained Motor Milestones Assessed as Part of the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE)
HINE is evaluated in infants between 2-24 months of age. It's a simple, standardized instrument including 26 items assessing different aspects of neurological examinations, such as cranial nerves, posture, movements, tone, and reflexes. In this study, Module 2 of HINE (HINE-2) was assessed, which evaluates 8 developmental milestones (head control, sitting, voluntary grasp, ability to kick, rolling, crawling, standing, and walking) scored on a 3, 4, or 5-point scale, with 0 indicating inability to perform task and score of 2, 3, or 4 indicating full milestone development. Total score is calculated by summing item scores to give maximum possible score of 26. Higher score indicates good neurological function.
Measured: Day 700
Percentage of Participants Who Attained Motor Milestones as Assessed by World Health Organization (WHO) Criteria
The WHO motor milestones are a set of six milestones in motor development, all of which would be expected to be attained by 24 months of age in healthy children. The individual milestones are: sitting without support, standing with assistance, hands and knees crawling, walking with assistance, standing alone and walking alone.
Measured: Baseline up to Day 2891
Change From Baseline in the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Infant Test of Neuromuscular Disorders (CHOP INTEND) Motor Function Scale
The CHOP-INTEND test was designed to evaluate the motor skills of infants with significant motor weakness. Participants who were ≥2 years were continued to be assessed until a CHOP INTEND maximum score of 64 was achieved. It included 16 items (capturing neck, trunk, and proximal and distal limb strength), nine of which were scored 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4, five were scored as 0, 2, or 4, one was scored as 0, 1, 2, or 4, and one as 0, 2, 3, or 4 with higher scores indicating greater muscle strength and function. Total score was calculated as the sum of scores for each item. Total score ranged from 0 (worst possible score) and 64 (best possible score). CHOP-INTEND assessments were discontinued once participants achieved a maximum score of 64, so the number of participants with available data points decreased over time.
Measured: Baseline, Day 2891
Change From Baseline in Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale - Expanded (HFMSE)
The HFMSE consists of 33 scored activities used to assess motor function in children with SMA. Participants were asked to do a specific activity (such as rolling) and they were then graded on the quality and execution of that movement on a scale of 0=being unable, 1=performed with some compensation, and 2=unaided. The overall score is the sum of the scores for all activities and ranged from 0 to 66. Higher scores indicate increased motor function. Baseline was defined as the time of first HFMSE score after Day 700.
Measured: Baseline, Day 2160
Change From Baseline in Weight for Age
The World Health Organization (WHO) child growth standards for participants aged up to 10 years was used to determine the percentiles. WHO Anthro software was used to calculate the percentiles for the given weights of each child. Negative change from baseline indicates low weight for age percentile.
Measured: Baseline, Day 2891
Change From Baseline in Weight for Length
The WHO child growth standards for participants aged up to 10 years was used to determine the percentiles. WHO Anthro software was used to calculate the percentiles for the given weights of each child.
Measured: Baseline, Day 1849
Change From Baseline in Head Circumference
Measured: Baseline, Day 2891
Change From Baseline in Chest Circumference
Measured: Baseline, Day 2891
Change From Baseline in Head to Chest Circumference Ratio
Negative change from baseline indicates reduction in head-to-chest circumference ratio.
Measured: Baseline, Day 2891
Change From Baseline in Arm Circumference
Measured: Baseline, Day 2891
Number of Participants With Adverse Events (AEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)
AE was any unfavorable and unintended sign (including an abnormal assessment such as an abnormal laboratory value), symptom, or disease temporally associated with the use of a medicinal (investigational) product, whether or not related to the medicinal (investigational) product. An SAE was any untoward medical occurrence that at any dose resulted in death, in the view of the Investigator, placed the participant at immediate risk of death, required inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization, resulted in persistent or significant disability/incapacity, resulted in a birth defect.
Measured: From the signing of the informed consent form (ICF) up to the end of the study (up to Day 2891)
Number of Participants With Shifts From Baseline in Clinical Laboratory Parameters (Hematology Parameters)
Hematology parameters included hemoglobin, hematocrit, erythrocytes, platelets, leukocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes count. These parameters were flagged as low, normal, or high relative to parameter's normal range or as unknown if no result was available. Here, shift to low indicated values that were normal, high or unknown at baseline and shifted to low values postbaseline. Shift to high indicates values that were normal, low or unknown at baseline and shifted to high postbaseline values.
Measured: Baseline up to Day 2891
Number of Participants With Shifts From Baseline in Clinical Laboratory Parameters (Blood Chemistry Parameters)
Blood chemistry parameters included bilirubin (direct and indirect), alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, creatinine, sodium, potassium, chloride, protein, albumin, calcium, phosphate, glucose, cystatin C, creatine kinase. These parameters were flagged as low, normal, or high relative to parameter's normal range or as unknown if no result was available. Here, shift to low indicated values that were normal, high or unknown at baseline and shifted to low values postbaseline. Shift to high indicates values that were normal, low or unknown at baseline and shifted to high postbaseline values.
Measured: Baseline up to Day 2891
Number of Participants With Shifts From Baseline in Clinical Laboratory Parameters (Urinalysis Parameters)
Urinalysis included assessments of specific gravity, pH, protein, glucose, ketones, bilirubin, occult blood, erythrocytes, leukocytes, epithelial cells, bacteria, casts and crystals. These parameters were flagged as low, normal, or high relative to parameter's normal range or as unknown if no result was available. Here, shift to low indicated values that were normal, high or unknown at baseline and shifted to low values postbaseline. Shift to high indicates values that were normal, low or unknown at baseline and shifted to high postbaseline values.
Measured: Baseline up to Day 2891
Number of Participants With Shifts From Baseline in Coagulation Parameters [Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT)]
aPTT was evaluated to assess safety. Shift to high measured change in normal, low and unknown values at baseline to high values postbaseline.
Measured: Baseline up to Day 2891
Number of Participants With Shifts From Baseline in Coagulation Parameters [Prothrombin Time (PT)]
PT was evaluated to assess safety. Shift to high measured change in normal, low and unknown values at baseline to high values postbaseline.
Measured: Baseline up to Day 2891
Number of Participants With Shifts From Baseline in Coagulation Parameters [International Normalized Ratio (INR)]
INR was evaluated to assess safety. Shift to high measured change in normal, low and unknown values at baseline to high values postbaseline.
Measured: Baseline up to Day 2891
Percentage of Participants With Clinically Significant Shifts in Electrocardiograms (ECG) Abnormalities
Clinical significance of abnormalities in ECG was determined based on the investigator's discretion. Shift to abnormal indicated values that were normal or unknown at baseline and shifted to abnormal values post-baseline.
Measured: Baseline up to Day 2891
Change From Baseline in Vital Signs (Temperature)
Negative change from baseline indicates reduction in temperature.
Measured: Baseline, Day 2891
Change From Baseline in Vital Signs (Blood Pressure)
Measured: Baseline, Day 2891
Change From Baseline in Vital Signs (Heart Rate)
Negative change from baseline indicates reduction in heart rate.
Measured: Baseline, Day 2891
Change From Baseline in Vital Signs (Respiratory Rate)
Negative change from baseline indicates reduction in respiratory rate.
Measured: Baseline, Day 2891
Number of Participants With Neurological Examination Abnormalities Reported as AEs
Participants with abnormalities in neurological examinations recorded as AEs were reported.
Measured: From the signing of the ICF up to the end of the study (up to Day 2891)
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Concentration of Nusinersen
Measured: Predose on Days 1, 15, 29, 64, 183, 302, 421, 540, 659, 778, 897, 1016, 1135, 1254, 1373, 1492, 1611, 1730, 1849, 1968, 2087, 2206, 2325, 2444, 2563, 2682, 2801
Plasma Concentration of Nusinersen
Measured: Predose on Days 64, 183, 302, 421, 540, 659, 778, 897, 1016, 1135, 1254, 1373, 1492, 1611, 1730, 1849, 1968, 2087, 2206, 2325, 2444, 2563, 2682, 2801 and 4-hour post-dose on Day 1
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 Mar 2015 (estimated)
- Study start18 May 2015
- Primary completion17 Dec 2024
- Study completion17 Dec 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Spinal Muscular AtrophyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by BiogenThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 25 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Biogen
- Sponsor type
- Industry (pharma, biotech, devices)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Medical Director, Study director, Biogen
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02386553
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 232SM201
- Other IDs
- 2014-002098-12, 2014
- Acronym
- NURTURE
- Status last verified
- Oct 2025
- First submitted
- 27 Feb 2015
- Last updated
- 20 Oct 2025
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- Expanded access
- Available
Publications
Crawford TO, Swoboda KJ, De Vivo DC, Bertini E, Hwu WL, Finkel RS, Kirschner J, Kuntz NL, Nazario AN, Parsons JA, Pechmann A, Ryan MM, Butterfield RJ, Topaloglu H, Ben-Omran T, Sansone VA, Jong YJ, Shu F, Zhu C, Raynaud S, Lago TR, Paradis AD, Foster R, Chin R, Berger Z; NURTURE Study Group. Continued benefit of nusinersen initiated in the presymptomatic stage of spinal muscular atrophy: 5-year update of the NURTURE study. Muscle Nerve. 2023 Aug;68(2):157-170. doi: 10.1002/mus.27853. Epub 2023 Jul 6.
PubMed 37409780Finkel RS, Chiriboga CA, Vajsar J, Day JW, Montes J, De Vivo DC, Yamashita M, Rigo F, Hung G, Schneider E, Norris DA, Xia S, Bennett CF, Bishop KM. Treatment of infantile-onset spinal muscular atrophy with nusinersen: a phase 2, open-label, dose-escalation study. Lancet. 2016 Dec 17;388(10063):3017-3026. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31408-8. Epub 2016 Dec 7.
PubMed 27939059