Data supports CellCept transplant regimen

Swiss drug major Roche says that data from the SYMPHONY trial show that an immunosuppressant drug regimen that includes CellCept (mycophenolate motefil MMF) in combination with low-dose tacrolimus, corticosteroids or induction therapy, may help transplant recipients maintain the functional life of their new organs for longer periods. The optimal toxicity-sparing immunosuppressant treatment was unveiled at the British Transplantation Society's 10th annual conference.

The firm explained that, unlike traditional immunosuppresion therapies, which rely on high-dose calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) that are known to cause kidney damage, the SYMPHONY trial was designed to assess regimens with low-dose, or no CNIs.

The results showed that, at 12 months, patients who received the MMF plus low-dose tacrolimus combination achieved a 15% improvement in kidney function, a 51% reduction in early organ rejection and a 5% increase in overall survival, compared with the standard immunotherapeutic regimen.