Benatar M, Ostrow LW, Lewcock JW, Bennett F, Shefner J, Bowser R, Larkin P, Bruijn L, Wuu J. Biomarker Qualification for Neurofilament Light Chain in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Theory and Practice.
Ann Neurol 2024;
95:211-216. [PMID:
38110839 PMCID:
PMC10842825 DOI:
10.1002/ana.26860]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To explore whether the utility of neurofilament light chain (NfL), as a biomarker to aid amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) therapy development, would be enhanced by obtaining formal qualification from the US Food and Drug Administration for a defined context-of-use.
METHODS
Consensus discussion among academic, industry, and patient advocacy group representatives.
RESULTS
A wealth of scientific evidence supports the use of NfL as a prognostic, response, and potential safety biomarker in the broad ALS population, and as a risk/susceptibility biomarker among the subset of SOD1 pathogenic variant carriers. Although NfL has not yet been formally qualified for any of these contexts-of-use, the US Food and Drug Administration has provided accelerated approval for an SOD1-lowering antisense oligonucleotide, based partially on the recognition that a reduction in NfL is reasonably likely to predict a clinical benefit.
INTERPRETATION
The increasing incorporation of NfL into ALS therapy development plans provides evidence that its utility-as a prognostic, response, risk/susceptibility, and/or safety biomarker-is already widely accepted by the community. The willingness of the US Food and Drug Administration to base regulatory decisions on rigorous peer-reviewed data-absent formal qualification, leads us to conclude that formal qualification, despite some benefits, is not essential for ongoing and future use of NfL as a tool to aid ALS therapy development. Although the balance of considerations for and against seeking NfL biomarker qualification will undoubtedly vary across different diseases and contexts-of-use, the robustness of the published data and careful deliberations of the ALS community may offer valuable insights for other disease communities grappling with the same issues. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:211-216.
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