A recent study published in the American Journal of Transplantation revealed that a new drug, Belatacept, has been found to
decrease organ rejection by the immune system post transplant, enhance kidney function and therefore the life of the renal graft in transplant patients. The trial named ‘BENEFIT’ (Belatacept Evaluation of Nephroprotection and Efficacy as First-line Immunosuppression Trial) was conducted on around 686 patients, aged 18 years or older and who were expected to receive a kidney transplant from a standard criteria donor. These patients were divided into three groups and received more or less intensive regimens of belatacept, or cyclosporine.
A total of 666 patients eventually received a transplant, amongst which 527 completed the initial 12-month treatment phase, with an even spread of discontinuation between the groups. This study has shown that Belatacept is different from currently used calcineurin inhibitors (CNI), such as cyclosporine, because it does not cause the toxicities associated with CNI – such as nephrotoxicity and aggravating cardiovascular risk factors.
Speaking about the results of the study, lead author and researcher Dr. Flavio Vincenti of the University of California, San Francisco Medical Centre, said: “Although belatacept was associated with a higher early rejection rate than patients treated with cyclosporine, it was also associated with better kidney function and thus has the potential of extending the life of the renal graft. Of course, only time will tell how many patients may benefit from this new drug. Our findings show that this will be a novel and more specific way of suppressing the immune system with less toxicity.”
Written by Snigdha Taduri