These studies further demonstrated that the treatment is well tolerated, with a good safety profile.In September 2020, IntraBio announced the successful results of a multinational clinical trial with N-acetyl-L-leucine (IB1001) for NPC, which demonstrated IB1001 demonstrated a statistically significant change in both primary and secondary endpoints, and clinically meaningful improvement in symptoms, functioning, and quality of life. IntraBio is also conducting parallel clinical trials with N-Acetyl-L-Leucine for the treatment of GM2 Gangliosidosis (Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff) and Ataxia-Telangiectasia. Future opportunities to develop N-Acetyl-Leucine include Lewy body dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, restless leg syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and migraine. Other treatments under investigation
One drug that has been tried is Miglustat. Miglustat is a glucosylceramide synthase inhibitor, which inhibits the synthesis of glycosphingolipids in cells. It has been shown to delay the onset of disease in the NPC mouse, and published data from a multi-center clinical trial of Miglustat in the United States and England and from case reports suggests that it may ameliorate the course of human NPC.Several other treatment strategies are under investigation in cell culture and animal models of NPC. These include, cholesterol mobilization, neurosteroid (a special type of hormone that affects brain and other nerve cells) replacement using allopregnanolone, rab overexpression to bypass the trafficking block (Pagano lab) and Curcumin as an anti-inflammatory and calcium modulatory agent.
The request was approved by the FDA on September 23, 2010, and bi-monthly intrathecal injections of HPbCD into the spine were administered starting in October 2010.On December 25, 2010, the FDA granted approval for HPbCD to be delivered via IV to an additional patient, Peyton Hadley, aged 13, under an IND through Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, Oregon. Soon after in March 2011, approval was sought for similar treatment of his sibling, Kayla, age 11, and infusions of HPbCD began shortly after. Both have since begun intrathecal treatments beginning in January 2012.In April 2011, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in collaboration with the Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases Program (TRND), announced they were developing a clinical trial utilizing cyclodextrin for Niemann–Pick type C patients.On September 20, 2011, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) granted HPbCD orphan drug status and designated the compound as a potential treatment for Niemann–Pick type C disease.On December 31, 2011, the FDA granted approval for IV HPbCD infusions for a fifth child in the United States, Chase DiGiovanni, under a compassionate use protocol. The child was 29 months old at the time of his first intravenous infusion, which was started in January 2012.Due to unprecedented collaboration between individual physicians and parents of children affected by NPC, approximately 15 patients worldwide have received HPbCD cyclodextrin therapy under compassionate use treatment protocols. Treatment involves a combination of intravenous therapy (IV), intrathecal therapy (IT) and intracerebroventricular (ICV) cyclodextrin therapy.