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NCT Number: NCT07287397

Study is to Assess the Safety and Tolerability of VTx-002 in Participants With ALS

PIONEER-ALS is a Phase 1/2, multicenter, open-label, ascending dose, uncontrolled, first-in-human study that will evaluate the safety, tolerability and effects on clinical and biomarker endpoints of intracisternal administration of Vtx-002 in participants with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Two escalating dose (low dose and high dose) cohorts are planned. The duration of the study will be a maximum of 5 years and 5 weeks (265 weeks) for each participant. The screening period may last up to 5 weeks to complete screening procedures.

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1 / Phase 2

Primary location

UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

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About this study

All participants will receive a single injection of the study drug. During the first year of the study there will be 12 visits to the study center, including an overnight stay after dosing of at least 1 night. There will be a further 4 remote visits (telephone or video call).

From Year 2-5 there will be 8 further visits. These will be every 6 months and will be either in-person at the study site or remote (telephone or video call) if needed or preferred.

Throughout the 5-year observation period, there will be up to 20 study visits to complete follow-up tests and assessments and monitor the ongoing effects of the study drug.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Key Inclusion Criteria:

  • Capable of, and willing to, provide written informed consent and comply with study procedures, including visits to the study site and visit requirements
  • Male or female ≥ 18 years of age
  • Has a diagnosis of ALS according to the El Escorial criteria (Brooks, et al., 2000) (probable, laboratory results supported; clinically probable, clinically definite)
  • Confirmed absence of ALS caused by FUS and SOD1 gene mutations confirmed by laboratory tests.
  • A maximum of 18 months since first appearance of weakness (e.g., limb weakness, dysarthria, dysphagia, shortness of breath)
  • Erect (seated) SVC % predicted ≥ 80% at Screening
  • Treatment Research Initiative to Cure ALS (TRICALS) risk score between -2 and -6 at Screening
  • Has a reliable caregiver/partner/legal representative willing and able to support the participant in participation in the study and to give informed consent on behalf of the participant in the case that disease progression prevents the participant of giving consent (local legal rules will apply).
  • Treatment with riluzole and/or edaravone is allowed if treatment was started and has remained at a stable dose for at least 2 weeks (riluzole) or one treatment cycle (edaravone) before the Screening visit
  • Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) and male participants with female partners who are WOCBP must agree to use highly effective contraception during and after the study. WOCBP cannot be pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Women of nonchildbearing potential must be post-menopausal or surgically sterile (e.g. hysterectomy, bilateral tubal ligation, ovaries removed)

Key Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of a significant CNS or peripheral nervous system disease other than ALS that may be a cause for the participant's ALS symptoms or may confound study objectives
  • Spinal, cervical, or brain MRI/MRA indicating clinically significant abnormality
  • Presence of tracheostomy and feeding tube at Screening
  • Contraindications to corticosteroid use (e.g. due to osteoporosis, uncontrolled blood pressure, diabetes or cholesterol).
  • Significant concomitant disease or condition within 6 months of Screening that could pose an unacceptable safety risk to the participant or interfere with the participant's ability to comply with study procedures, e.g. heart disease, uncontrolled diabetes, liver disease, autoimmune diseases needing strong immune-suppressing drugs, cancer, etc or a current psychiatric diagnosis.
  • Clinically significant abnormalities in laboratory test results at Screening for example poor liver or kidney function, abnormal clotting or infections such as Hepatitis or HIV
  • Use of blood thinners (e.g., warfarin, heparin, and novel oral anticoagulants) and being unable to safely stop them before certain study procedures.
  • Contraindications to imaging methods MRI, MRA, CT due to claustrophobia and/or intolerance to contrast agents.
  • Contraindications to general anaesthesia (GA) or deep sedation

10 Positive test for illegal drugs (except prescribed medications or permitted medicinal/recreational marijuana if used responsibly)

  • Generally frail or if the Investigator deems participation in the study would not be in the best interest of the participant or is likely to prohibit further participation during the study

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply

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Treatment and study plan

VTx-002

Genetic

An investigational gene therapy targeting a specific protein.

Preventative (Prophylactic) Medication - Corticosteroids: Methylprednisolone

Drug

To reduce the risk of reactions caused by the study treatment, steroid medicines will be given in advance.

Other names: Prednisone, Prednisolone

Primary outcomes

  1. The number of participants with treatment related adverse events (AEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)

    Time frame: Over 5 years

    Assessed by reviewing the nature, incidence, severity, relatedness, seriousness and outcome of treatment emergent adverse events.

  2. The number of participants with treatment related adverse events (AEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)

    Time frame: Over 5 years

    Assessed by reviewing laboratory values

  3. The number of participants with treatment related adverse events (AEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)

    Time frame: Over 5 years

    Assessed by reviewing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings.

  4. The number of participants with treatment related adverse events (AEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)

    Time frame: over 5 years

    Assessed by review of Treatment Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Assessment Scale (TNAS)

    *TNAS a brief participant-reported questionnaire used to measure the severity and progression of peripheral neuropathy. Each item is rated on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 means no symptom and 10 means the symptom is as bad as it can possibly be.

  5. The number of participants with treatment related adverse events (AEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)

    Time frame: Over 5 years

    Assessed by reviewing cellular responses by analyzing blood samples.

  6. The number of participants with treatment related adverse events (AEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)

    Time frame: Over 5 years

    Assessed by reviewing scores of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)

    *C-SSRS is a widely used, evidence-based suicide risk assessment tool that helps identify whether someone is at risk for suicide and gauge the level of support needed. A low score is associated with a lower risk level in this brief questionnaire.

  7. The number of participants with treatment related adverse events (AEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)

    Time frame: At month 6 and month 12

    Assessed by performing 4 formal interim analyses

    • 6 months after Gene Therapy Group 1 receive the single dose treatment
    • 6 months after Gene Therapy Group 2 receive the single dose treatment
    • 12 months after Gene Therapy Group 1 receive the single dose treatment
    • 12 months after Gene Therapy Group 2 receive the single dose treatment

Secondary outcomes

  1. To assess whether VTx-002 works to prevent the progression of ALS and what dose can be used for future clinical studies.

    Time frame: At month 6 and month 12

    Changes certain blood values

  2. To assess whether VTx-002 works to prevent the progression of ALS and what dose can be used for future clinical studies.

    Time frame: over 12 months

    Time to assisted permanent ventilation or death

  3. To assess whether VTx-002 works to prevent the progression of ALS and what dose can be used for future clinical studies.

    Time frame: Over 5 years

    Immune responses assessed by analyzing blood samples

  4. To assess whether VTx-002 works to prevent the progression of ALS and what dose can be used for future clinical studies.

    Time frame: At month 6 and month 12

    Change in Slow Vital Capacity

  5. To assess whether VTx-002 works to prevent the progression of ALS and what dose can be used for future clinical studies.

    Time frame: At month 6 and month 12

    Changes in CSF values

  6. To assess whether VTx-002 works to prevent the progression of ALS and what dose can be used for future clinical studies.

    Time frame: At month 6 and month 12 *ALSFRS-R is a scale used to monitor disease progression. The 12 questions. Questions are scored from 0 to 4, with a maximum score of 48 indicating full function and a minimum score of 0 indicating significant impairment.

    Change in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R)

Other outcomes

  1. To assess changes in biomarkers

    Time frame: Over 5 years

    Analysis of blood samples to assess viral shedding

  2. To assess changes in muscle strength assessments from baseline.

    Time frame: Measured at month 6 and month 12

    Change in muscle strength measured by Hand-held Dynamometry

  3. To assess disease severity and improvement

    Time frame: over 12 months

    Disease severity and improvement measured using the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scales for Severity (CGI-S) and Improvement (CGI-I).

    The CGI scales each use a seven-point scale where 1 indicates less severe (CGI-S) or most improved (CGI-I) and 7 indicates more severe illness (CGI-S) or worsening of condition (CGI-I)

  4. To assess immunogenicity of VTx002

    Time frame: Over 5 years

    Assessed by the review of the immunogenicity to the capsid and transgene by analyzing blood samples.

  5. To assess changes Health Related Quality of Life

    Time frame: Measured at month 6 and month 12

    Change in Health Related Quality of Life measured using the EQ5D-L questionnaire.

    *The EQ5D-L is a self-completed questionnaire assessing five core dimensions (Mobility, Self-care, Usual Activities, Pain/Discomfort, Anxiety/Depression). It is scored by combining patient responses across the five dimensions and then converting to a single utility score whereby 1.0 indicates perfect health and 0 indicates death

  6. To assess changes Health Related Quality of Life

    Time frame: Measured at month 6 and month 12

    Change in Health Related Quality of Life measured using the ALSAQ-5 questionnaire.

    *The ALSAQ-5 is a brief, 5-item questionnaire used to measure the impact of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis on a patient's quality of life. Five key areas are rated for difficulties and converted to a total score from 0 (worst) to 100 (best)

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Dr Olga Uspenskaya Chief medical Officer, VectorY Therapeutics, M.D; PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

[email protected]

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Vector Y Therapeutics

Industry

Registry information

Official study title

Phase 1/2 Investigation of Novel Experimental Regimen in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Pioneer-ALS): An Open-Label, Uncontrolled, Multicenter Study to Assess the Safety and Tolerability of Two Doses of VTx-002

Acronym: ALS

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Dec 17, 2025
Registry last updated
Jun 23, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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