Zolgensma vs. Spinraza

Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi) and Spinraza (nusinersen) injection are used to treat pediatric patients with spinal muscular atrophy.

Zolgensma is used to treat patients less than 2 years of age with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) with bi-allelic mutations in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene.

Spinraza is also used to treat spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in adult patients.

Zolgensma and Spinraza belong to different drug classes. Zolgensma is an adeno-associated virus vector-based gene therapy and Spinraza is a survival motor neuron-2 (SMN2)- directed antisense oligonucleotide.

Side effects of Zolgensma that are different from Spinraza include elevated aminotransferases and vomiting.

Side effects of Spinraza that are different from Zolgensma include lower respiratory infection, upper respiratory infection, constipation, teething, congestion, ear infection, and scoliosis.

Zolgensma may interact with corticosteroids and certain vaccines, such as MMR and varicella.

Spinraza may interact with other drugs.

Side effects of Zolgensma include:

• elevated aminotransferases and
• vomiting

Common side effects of Spinraza include:

• lower respiratory infection,
• upper respiratory infection, and
• constipation,
• teething,
• congestion,
• ear infection, and
• scoliosis.

Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi) is an adeno-associated virus vector-based gene therapy indicated for the treatment of pediatric patients less than 2 years of age with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) with bi-allelic mutations in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene.

Spinraza (nusinersen) injection is a survival motor neuron-2 (SMN2)- directed antisense oligonucleotide indicated for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in pediatric and adult patients.

Zolgensma may interact with corticosteroids and certain vaccines, such as MMR and varicella.

Spinraza may interact with other drugs. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before using Spinraza; it is unknown if it will affect a fetus. It is unknown if Spinraza passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

The recommended dosage of Zolgensma is 1.1×1014 vector genomes (vg) per kg of body weight.

The recommended dosage of Spinraza is 12 mg (5 mL) per administration. Initiate Spinraza treatment with 4 loading doses. The first three loading doses should be administered at 14-day intervals. The 4th loading dose should be administered 30 days after the 3rd dose. A maintenance dose should be administered once every 4 months thereafter.