Thymoglobulin-treated patients had a graft survival of 83 percent and patient survival of 93 percent one year later. Acute rejection is one of the most significant risk factors in determining the success of a new organ and a kidney recipient's survival. Clinical trials show that Thymoglobulin can be a very effective and safe therapy for these patients. The trial did not show a significant difference in one year graft survival. Despite recent advances in immunosuppressive agents, from 20 percent to 60 percent of the 12,000 Americans who receive kidney transplants each year experience acute rejection during the first year following transplantation.
Acute rejection can often lead to the loss of the transplanted organ.
In this trial, conducted at 28 leading transplant centres in the U.S., Thymoglobulin was compared to Atgam in the treatment of kidney transplant recipients who experienced an acute graft rejection episode. The trial involved 163 patients who were given either 1.5 mg per kg per day of Thymoglobulin or 15 mg per kg per day of Atgam for seven to 14 days and were then followed for one year. Thymoglobulin is a pasteurised anti-thymocyte rabbit immunoglobulin indicated for the treatment of renal transplant acute rejection, in conjunction with concomitant immunosuppression. It induces immunosuppression as a result of T-cell depletion and immune modulation. The exact mechanism is unknown but researchers believe Thymoglobulin antibodies may inactivate and kill these T-cells, thus reversing the rejection process.