Clinical trial Recruiting at 21 sites Interventional Ages 3 and up

Implantation of a device for delivering nusinersen in spinal muscular atrophy patients

Official title: Safety and Performance of the ThecaFlex DRx™ System Port and Catheter for Chronic Intrathecal Access, Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Aspiration, and DElivery of Nusinersen in Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Patients Resistant to Lumbar PunctuRE Trial (PIERRE)

Run by Alcyone Therapeutics, Inc · NCT05866419 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing a new device that delivers a treatment for spinal muscular atrophy directly into the spine to see if it is safe and works well for patients who have trouble with regular injections.

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Quick facts

Study typeInterventional
Ages3 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment90 (estimated)
SponsorAlcyone Therapeutics, Inc
Industry-sponsored
Drugs / interventionsradiation
Locations23 sites (Phoenix, Arizona and 22 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedNovember 27, 2023
Main results expectedApril 2028
Study endsJuly 2030
Registry record updatedNovember 9, 2026
Trial IDNCT05866419 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates include individuals aged 3 years or older diagnosed with SMA who require chronic intrathecal administration of nusinersen and are resistant to lumbar punctures.

Probably not a fit

Patients who do not have spinal muscular atrophy or those who are not candidates for nusinersen treatment will not benefit from this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This clinical investigation aims to evaluate the safety and performance of the ThecaFlex DRx™ System, which is designed for the intrathecal delivery of nusinersen in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Participants aged 3 years and older who are candidates for this treatment will undergo implantation of the device and will be monitored for 12 months post-implantation. The study is multicenter and non-randomized, focusing on subjects who are resistant to lumbar punctures due to various health concerns. The data collected will support a Pre-Market Approval application for the device.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a safer and more effective method for administering nusinersen to SMA patients who cannot undergo traditional lumbar punctures.

How similar studies have gone: While this approach is innovative, similar studies have shown promise in the use of intrathecal delivery systems for other therapies, indicating potential for success.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Subject is 3 years or older
2. Subject is diagnosed with SMA and is a candidate for Spinraza treatment as indicated in country-specific label
3. Subject resistant to lumbar puncture (LP), where resistance is defined as:

   1. Subject with respiratory issues or other comorbidities who is at an increased risk for complications due to the need for repeat anesthesia and imaging radiation exposure to safely perform LP; or
   2. Subjects for whom the treating physician determines implantation of the ThecaFlex DRx™ System is otherwise in the subject's best interest
4. Subject has been prescribed nusinersen via chronic intrathecal bolus administration in accordance with the country-specific drug labeling
5. Subject, per Investigator discretion, is able to undergo a percutaneous or open surgical procedure for index port and catheter implantation where at least 7 cm of the ThecaFlex DRx system catheter will be placed intrathecally
6. Subject (or subject's legally authorized representative) is willing and able to provide written informed consent; and
7. Subject and parent/caregiver able and willing to complete all clinical investigation procedures, measurements, and visits.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Subject meets any of the contraindications for use of the ThecaFlex DRx System as outlined in the ThecaFlex DRx System Instructions for Use
2. Presence or history of (\< 6 months prior to the procedure): an implanted microinfusion pump, intrathecal catheter, or other intrathecal drug delivery devices/component, or implanted shunt for drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or reservoir in the CSF space (note: any ThecaFlex Port and Catheter System must not be placed in the same location as a previous indwelling port and catheter)
3. Subject is pregnant or nursing or plans to become pregnant during the course of the clinical investigation, or is a woman of childbearing potential or a man of reproductive age who is unwilling or unable to practice contraception, as described in Section 14.10.
4. Any condition or event, which in the opinion of the Investigator may adversely affect the safety and effective implantation and use of the ThecaFlex DRx system or confound the clinical investigation, including:

   1. Severe structural impediment that may preclude safe implantation of the catheter and port
   2. Major medical events (as defined per investigator's discretion) within 60 days prior to screening; or
   3. Relevant surgeries (e.g., head and neck, back, etc.) within 60 days prior to screening or planned during the duration of the clinical investigation
   4. Space-occupying lesion with mass effect
   5. Posterior fossa mass
   6. Arnold-Chiari malformation
   7. Coagulation abnormalities and/or thrombocytopenia
   8. Insufficient or inadequate skin or underlying fat to adequately protect the port or enough surface area to allow the skin to close safely
5. Subject is contraindicated for administration of nusinersen per its approved country-specific labeling
6. History of intrathecal granuloma formation
7. History of bacterial meningitis or aseptic meningitis within 6 months of screening
8. History of tumors or other spinal abnormalities documented by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) that would interfere with the catheter implantation procedures or CSF circulation
9. History of hydrocephalus
10. Diagnosed degenerative muscular disease other than SMA
11. History of depression, cognitive impairment, or another psycho-behavioral problem that in the opinion of the Investigator may preclude safe participation in the clinical investigation and
12. Serious medical condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, may lead to reduced life expectancy beyond 12 months.
13. Subject is involved in another Investigation Device Exemption Study.
14. Subject has clinically meaningful immunosuppression, in the opinion of the investigator, either from therapy or a comorbid condition, which, in the opinion of the investigator, makes them a poor surgical candidate due to increased risk of infection.

Where it's running

  • Barrow Neurological Institute
    Phoenix, Arizona, United States
    Recruiting
  • Children's Hospital Orange County
    Orange, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • Stanford Medical Center
    Palo Alto, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • Rady Children's Hospital
    San Diego, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida
    Orlando, Florida, United States
    Recruiting
  • Lurie Childrens Hospital
    Chicago, Illinois, United States
    Recruiting
Show 17 more locations
  • Boston Children's Hospital
    Boston, Massachusetts, United States
    Recruiting
  • Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
    Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
    Recruiting
  • Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork Presbyterian Hospital
    New York, New York, United States
    Recruiting
  • UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital
    Cleveland, Ohio, United States
    Recruiting
  • Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
    Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States
    Recruiting
  • Children's Hospital Philadelphia
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
    Recruiting
  • Texas Children's Hospital
    Houston, Texas, United States
    Recruiting
  • University of Virginia
    Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
    Recruiting
  • Childrens Hospital of the King's Daughters
    Norfolk, Virginia, United States
    Recruiting
  • Universitätsklinikum Essen
    Essen, Germany
    Recruiting
  • Specialised Hospital Ludwika Rydygiera
    Krakow, Poland
    Recruiting
  • Research Institute of Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital
    Lodz, Poland
    Recruiting
  • Hospital Universitario La Paz
    Madrid, Spain
    Recruiting
  • Hospital Universitario y Politecnico la Fe de Valencia
    Valencia, Spain
    Recruiting
  • Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
    Sheffield, United Kingdom
    Recruiting
  • John's Hopkins Children's Center
    Baltimore, Maryland, United States
    Not yet recruiting
  • Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas
    Austin, Texas, United States
    Not yet recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.