Improved Induction and Maintenance Immunosuppression in Kidney Transplantation

A single 6 mg/kg dose of rATG administered intravenously over 24 hours, beginning before kidney transplantation. Administration of the drug is begun as early as practical, usually after general anesthesia has been established but before surgery has started. The rATG is therefore administered for about two hours before blood flow is restored to the kidney undergoing transplantation.

Patients are switched approximately 6 months after kidney transplantation from maintenance immunosuppression with tacrolimus and sirolimus to maintenance with mycophenolate mofetil and sirolimus. The drug is administered orally, taken daily, with dose adjusted in proportion to measured blood levels, and is required indefinitely to prevent rejection of the transplanted kidney.

6 mg/kg rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin delivered in 4 doses of 1.5 mg/kg each, the first administered at the time of kidney transplantation. Subsequent doses are administered on days 2, 4, and 6.

Oral maintenance immunosuppressant administered daily, dose adjusted according to measured serum trough levels, continued indefinitely to prevent kidney rejection

Oral maintenance immunosuppressant, taken daily, dose adjusted to maintain target blood trough levels, required indefinitely to prevent kidney rejection.