CEREZYME Powder for concentrate for solution for infusion Ref.[9223] Active ingredients: Imiglucerase

Pharmacotherapeutic group: Enzymes-Imiglucerase (recombinant macrophage targeted β-glucocerebrosidase)
ATC code: A16AB02

Mechanism of action

Gaucher disease is a rare recessively inherited metabolic disorder that results from a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme acid β-glucosidase. This enzyme breaks down glucosylceramide, a key component of the lipid structure of cell membranes, into glucose and ceramide. In individuals with Gaucher disease, glucosylceramide degradation is insufficient, leading to accumulation of large quantities of this substrate within the lysosomes of macrophages (termed ‘Gaucher cells’), leading to widespread secondary pathology.

Gaucher cells are typically found in liver, spleen and bone marrow and occasionally in lung, kidney and intestine. Clinically, Gaucher disease is a heterogeneous phenotypic spectrum. The most frequent disease manifestations are hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, anaemia, and skeletal pathology, The skeletal abnormalities are frequently the most debilitating and disabling features of Gaucher disease. These skeletal manifestations include bone marrow infiltration, osteonecrosis, bone pain and bone crises, osteopenia and osteoporosis, pathological fractures, and growth impairment. Gaucher disease is associated with increased glucose production and increased resting energy expenditure rate, which may contribute to fatigue and cachexia. Patients with Gaucher disease may also have a low grade inflammatory profile. In addition, Gaucher disease has been associated with an increased risk of immunoglobulin abnormalities such as hyperimmunoglobulinemia, polyclonal gammopathy, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and multiple myeloma. The natural history of Gaucher disease usually shows progression, with the risk of irreversible complications arising in various organs over time. The clinical manifestations of Gaucher disease can adversely affect quality of life. Gaucher disease is associated with increased morbidity and early mortality. Signs and symptoms presenting in childhood typically represent more severe Gaucher disease. In children, Gaucher disease can lead to growth retardation and delayed puberty.

Pulmonary hypertension is a known complication of Gaucher disease. Patients who have undergone a splenectomy have an increased risk of pulmonary hypertension. Cerezyme therapy reduces the requirement for splenectomy in most cases and early treatment with Cerezyme has been associated with a reduced risk of pulmonary hypertension. Routine evaluation to detect the presence of pulmonary hypertension after diagnosis of Gaucher disease and over time is recommended. Patients diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, in particular, should receive adequate doses of Cerezyme to ensure control of underlying Gaucher disease as well as be evaluated for the need of additional pulmonary hypertension specific treatments.

Pharmacodynamic effects

Imiglucerase (recombinant macrophage targeted acid ß-glucosidase) replaces the deficient enzyme activity, hydrolysing glucosylceramide, thus correcting initial pathophysiology and preventing secondary pathology. Cerezyme reduces spleen and liver size, improves or normalises thrombocytopenia and anaemia, improves or normalises bone mineral density and bone marrow burden, and reduces or eliminates bone pain and bone crises. Cerezyme reduces resting energy expenditure rate. Cerezyme has been shown to improve both mental and physical aspects in the quality of life of Gaucher disease. Cerezyme decreases chitotriosidase, a biomarker for glucosylceramide accumulation in macrophages and response to treatment. In children, Cerezyme has been shown to enable normal pubertal development, and to induce catch-up growth, leading to normal height and bone mineral density in adulthood.

Clinical efficacy and safety

The rate and extent of response to Cerezyme treatment is dose-dependent. Generally, improvements in organ systems with a faster turnover rate, such as the haematological, can be noted far more rapidly than in those with a slower turnover, such as the bone. In an ICGG Gaucher Registry analysis of a large cohort of patients (n=528) with Gaucher disease type 1, a time- and dose-dependent effect for Cerezyme was observed for haematological and visceral parameters (platelet count, haemoglobin concentration, spleen and liver volume) within the dose range of 15, 30 and 60 U/kg body weight once every 2 weeks. Patients treated with 60 U/kg body weight every 2 weeks showed a faster improvement and a greater maximum treatment effect as compared to patients receiving the lower doses.

Similarly, in an ICGG Gaucher Registry analysis of bone mineral density using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 342 patients, after 8 years of treatment normal bone mineral density was achieved with a Cerezyme dose of 60 U/kg body weight once every 2 weeks, but not with lower doses of 15 and 30 U/kg body weight once every 2 weeks (Wenstrup et al, 2007).

In a study investigating 2 cohorts of patients treated with a median dose of 80 U/kg body weight every 4 weeks and a median dose of 30 U/kg body weight every 4 weeks, among the patients with bone marrow burden score ≥6, more patients in the higher dose cohort (33%; n=22) achieved a decrease in the score of 2 points after 24 months of Cerezyme treatment compared with patients in the lower dose cohort (10%; n=13) (de Fost et al, 2006).

Treatment with Cerezyme at a dose of 60 U/kg body weight once every 2 weeks, showed improvement in bone pain as early as 3 months, decrease in bone crises within 12 months, and improvement in bone mineral density after 24 months of treatment (Sims et al, 2008).

The usual frequency of infusion is once every 2 weeks (see section 4.2). Maintenance therapy every 4 weeks (Q4) at the same cumulative dose as the bi-weekly (Q2) dose has been studied in adult patients with stable residual Gaucher disease type 1. Changes from baseline in hemoglobin, platelets, liver and spleen volumes, bone crisis, and bone disease comprised a predefined composite endpoint; achievement or maintenance of established Gaucher disease therapeutic goals for the hematologic and visceral parameters comprised an additional endpoint. Sixty-three percent of Q4- and 81% of Q2- treated patients met the composite endpoint at Month 24; the difference was not statistically significant based on the 95% CI (-0.357, 0.058). Eighty-nine percent of Q4- and 100% of Q2-treated patients met the therapeutic goals-based endpoint; the difference was not statistically significant based on the 95% CI (-0.231, 0.060). A Q4 infusion regimen may be a therapeutic option for some adult patients with stable residual Gaucher disease type 1, but clinical data are limited.

No controlled clinical studies have been conducted on the efficacy of Cerezyme on neurological manifestations of the disease. Therefore no conclusions on the effect of enzyme replacement therapy on the neurological manifestations of the disease can be drawn.

Medical or healthcare professionals are encouraged to register Gaucher patients, including those with chronic neuronopathic manifestations of the disease, in the “ICGG Gaucher Registry”. Patient data will be anonymously collected in this Registry. The objectives of the “ICGG Gaucher Registry” are to enhance the understanding of Gaucher disease and to evaluate the effectiveness of enzyme replacement therapy, ultimately leading to improvement in the safe and efficacious use of Cerezyme.