ATLANTA—The experimental drug belatacept can prevent graft rejection in kidney transplant recipients while better preserving kidney function when compared with standard immunosuppressive drugs, according to data from two international phase III clinical trials show that was published in the March issue of the American Journal of Transplantation.
The drugs most transplant patients now rely on to inhibit their immune systems and prevent graft rejection have serious side effects. The class of drugs known as calcineurin inhibitors (cyclosporine and tacrolimus, for example) can damage the kidneys and lead to high blood pressure and diabetes.
The data from the BENEFIT trial, which tracked 666 kidney transplants at 100 sites around the world, shows that patients taking belatacept had similar graft survival rates to those taking cyclosporine, while maintaining higher kidney function and lower blood pressure and cholesterol. In addition, instead of requiring patients to take pills twice every day, in the case of calcineurin inhibitors, belatacept can be given every few weeks.
