Clinical trial NCT00346151
Conditions: Renal Transplant
Keywords: renal transplantation kidney transplantation renal allograft recipient anti-rejection drugs immunosuppression protocol immunosuppression withdrawal
Sponsor: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Start date: 2006-12-01; Completion date: 2010-02-01
Enrollment: 5 participants; Allocation: NA; Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP

Brief summary:
Belatacept is an experimental medication shown in clinical trials to have immune system suppression properties in people who have had renal (e.g., kidney) transplants. This study will determine whether a combination of anti-rejection drugs, including belatacept, can prevent the rejection of a first-time, non-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) identical renal transplant and allow patients to be safely withdrawn from anti-rejection therapy one year post-transplant.

Detailed description:
Drugs that suppress the immune system have contributed to increased success of transplantation; however, to prevent organ rejection, transplant recipients need to take immunosuppressive drugs for the rest of their lives. These drugs make patients more susceptible to infection and certain kinds of cancer. Belatacept is an experimental medication that specifically targets immune reactions against transplanted organs and has been shown to be effective in preventing kidney transplant rejection in previous clinical trials. Both thymoglobulin, an antibody, and sirolimus, an anti-rejection drug, prevent rejection by lowering the response of the immune system to the transplanted organ. This study will evaluate whether belatacept, along with thymoglobulin and sirolimus, is safe in kidney transplant patients. The study will also evaluate this regimen's potential to allow tapering and eventual discontinuation of all immunosuppressive drugs.

This study will last up to 4 years. At the time of transplant, participants will begin an immunosuppressive treatment regimen consisting of thymoglobulin, sirolimus, and belatacept. Participants will receive infusions of thymoglobulin on days 1 through 4, and a combination of oral sirolimus (daily) and belatacept infusions at day 5, then weeks 2, 4, 8, and monthly for at least 2 years. Dose reduction of belatacept will occur at 12 weeks post-transplant. At Year 2, eligible participants may choose to begin drug withdrawal or continue study therapy through the end of the study. Study visits will occur weekly for the first two months, then monthly. These visits will include belatacept treatment, general medical assessments, blood and urine collection, and other assessments to determine overall health of the recipient's immune system and kidney transplant and to better understand the way the immune system works in the acceptance or rejection of organ transplants.

\*\*\* IMPORTANT NOTICE: \*\*\* The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Immune Tolerance Network do not recommend the discontinuation of immunosuppressive therapy for recipients of cell, organ, or tissue transplants outside of physician-directed, controlled clinical studies. Discontinuation of prescribed immunosuppressive therapy can result in serious health consequences and should only be performed in certain rare circumstances, upon the recommendation and with the guidance of your health care provider.

Arms: arm 1: Immunosuppressive protocol consisting of belatacept, glucocorticoids, antithymocyte globulin (ATG), and sirolimus.
Interventions: intervention 1: Belatacept intervention 2: Sirolimus intervention 3: Anti-thymocyte globulin intervention 4: methylprednisolone
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: 10 mg/kg given intravenously (IV) on transplant (day 1), day 5, and at weeks 2, 4, 8 and 12, then 5 mg/kg IV every 4 weeks intervention 2: 4 mg/day (oral tablet) at transplant (day 1), then dose adjusted to maintain serum trough level of 8-12 ng/mL for at least 1 year intervention 3: 1.5 mg/kg given IV daily on days 1 through 4. Subjects are premedicated with glucocorticoids, acetaminophen 650 mg by mouth, and diphenhydramine 25- 50 mg by mouth prior to each dose. intervention 4: 500 mg given IV at transplant (day 1), then given 250 mg IV on day 2 and given 0.5 mg/kg IV or prednisone 0.5 mg/kg given by mouth on days 3 and 4

Protocol documents: