Clinical response to systemic AAV gene therapy in a large animal model of late-stage lysosomal storage disease

The benefit of early diagnosis and treatment has been demonstrated in animal models of several lysosomal storage diseases. In a clinical setting, however, diagnoses are often not made until after patients become symptomatic. The lysosomal storage disease alpha-mannosidosis is caused by a genetic deficiency of lysosomal alpha-mannosidase, leading to the widespread presence of storage lesions throughout the brain and other tissues. In a feline model of alpha-mannosidosis, we previously demonstrated complete correction of the brain following delivery of AAVhu.32-fMANB via the carotid artery in the early symptomatic stage. Here, we investigate the efficacy of AAV gene therapy on globally distributed storage lesions in animals with advanced disease. Some improvements in clinical parameters were observed, however these improvements were less than in animals with less advanced disease. Although the treated animals were improved compared to untreated animals, increasing the vector dose did not further improve clinical outcomes. These results further demonstrate the importance of early detection and treatment of a lysosomal storage disease to successful outcomes. Despite this, partial correction extended the lifespan of diseased cats and may be medically beneficial to patients by slowing or stabilizing the progressive degenerative course of disease.