Use of Elamipretide in patients assigned treatment in the compassionate use program: Case series in pediatric patients with rare orphan diseases
Mary Kay Koenig,
Sam Nick Russo,
Kim L. McBride,
Hans Tomas Bjornsson,
Brynja Bjork Gunnarsdottir,
Amy Goldstein,
Scott A. Falk
Affiliations
Mary Kay Koenig
The University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Center for the Treatment of Pediatric Neurodegenerative Disease Houston Texas USA
Sam Nick Russo
The University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Center for the Treatment of Pediatric Neurodegenerative Disease Houston Texas USA
Kim L. McBride
Division of Genetic and Genomic Medicine and the Heart Center Nationwide Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics College of Medicine Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
Hans Tomas Bjornsson
Landspitali University Hospital Reykjavik Iceland
Brynja Bjork Gunnarsdottir
Landspitali University Hospital Reykjavik Iceland
Amy Goldstein
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
Scott A. Falk
Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
Abstract Several mitochondrial diseases are caused by pathogenic variants that impair membrane phospholipid remodeling, with no FDA‐approved therapies. Elamipretide targets the inner mitochondrial membrane where it binds to cardiolipin, resulting in improved membrane stability, cellular respiration, and ATP production. In clinical trials, elamipretide produced clinical and functional improvements in adults and adolescents with mitochondrial disorders, such as primary mitochondrial myopathy and Barth syndrome; however, experience in younger patients is limited and to our knowledge, these are the first case reports on the safety and efficacy of elamipretide treatment in children under 12 years of age. We describe the use of elamipretide in patients with mitochondrial disorders to provide dosing parameters in patients aged <12 years.