The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7252 p784
7 June 2003

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Transplantation (www.transplantjournal.com)

New data on renal transplant drugs

Data presented at the American Transplant Society meeting held this week in Washington DC provide insight into use of immunosuppressants following kidney transplant.

One study of 4,700 patients showed that 91 per cent of those who took ciclosporin A in combination with mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept) had grafts that survived for three years compared with 88 per cent of patients treated with tacrolimus (Prograf) and mycophenolate mofetil. A second study found that three-year graft survival rates were significantly higher with ciclosporin-based immunosuppressive therapy compared with tacrolimus-based therapy.

Further data showed that the long-term function of transplanted kidneys is significantly improved when ciclosporin is withdrawn. The trial of over 400 patients involved patients taking a combination of sirolimus (Rapamune), ciclosporin and steroids. After three months, patients were randomised to have ciclosporin withdrawn or continue with the original therapy.