Roche's Zenapax Effective In Uveitis

Roche and Protein Design Labs' antibody product Zenapax (daclizumab),recently launched for the prevention of kidney transplant rejection, may also be an effective treatment for autoimmune uveitis, a potentially sight-threatening disease of the eye. Meanwhile, results of a Phase II trial have shown that Zenapax is also effective in the prevention of liver transplant rejection.

More significantly, Zenapax plus Roche's CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil) has been shown to be an effective alternative to ciclosporin in kidney transplants, according to new data presented at the New Dimensions in Transplantation Conference in Florence, Italy, on February 18. Eliminating ciclosporin from the immunosuppressive regimen reduced creatinine levels in recipients, suggesting that the new regimen may lead to better kidney function in these patients.