Comparative Characterization of a Proposed Generic Nusinersen: Identity of the Oligonucleotide Structure and Equivalence in SMN2 Splicing Activity

TL;DR

This study compares a proposed generic version of nusinersen to the original drug, finding they are nearly identical in structure and function for treating spinal muscular atrophy.

Contribution

The study confirms the structural and functional equivalence of a generic nusinersen to the reference drug for SMA treatment.

Findings

GNR-100 and the reference nusinersen are identical in oligonucleotide structure and chemical composition.

Both products show comparable resistance to degradation and similar melting temperatures in DNA duplexes.

The generic drug enhances SMN2 gene splicing and protein production similarly to the original drug in patient-derived cells.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Nusinersen is a synthetic antisense RNA oligonucleotide employed in the management of spinal muscular atrophy, a rare neuromuscular disorder, by modulating the alternative splicing of the survival motor neuron 2 (SMN2) gene. GNR-100 represents the first generic version of the reference listed drug (RLD), containing nusinersen sodium as the active pharmaceutical ingredient. We performed comprehensive evaluations in accordance with FDA guidelines, including side-by-side comparative analyses of critical quality attributes, to thoroughly characterize the structural and functional properties of both nusinersen products. Results/Methods: GNR-100 was comprehensively demonstrated to be highly similar to RLD in terms of oligonucleotide structure, physicochemical properties, impurity profile, and in vitro cell-based assays for SMN-gene splice-switching and SMN-protein activity. Structural analyses confirmed that the oligonucleotide primary sequences and chemical structures were identical. The diastereomeric composition and higher-order structures were also similar between the proposed generic and the reference product. Comparable resistance to phosphodiesterase degradation and nearly identical melting temperatures of the oligonucleotide duplexes with their complementary strand further substantiated the structural sameness of the nusinersen products. The impurity profile of the proposed therapeutic oligonucleotide was consistent with that of RLD, and the collectively reduced levels of impurities, as assessed by orthogonal analytical methods, indicated no meaningful impact on the safety profile. Moreover, both products exhibited comparable biological activity in enhancing the production of full-length SMN2 mRNA transcripts and functional SMN protein in fibroblasts derived from SMA patients. Conclusions: These quality studies demonstrate that GNR-100 exhibits no significant differences from the licensed drug across structural, physicochemical, biophysical, and biological attributes, establishing its potential as a cost-effective therapeutic alternative for patients with spinal muscular atrophy.

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