The purpose of this research study is to determine whether kidney transplant recipients who receive belimumab (Benlysta®), combined with the standard of care medications for kidney transplant recipients, is safe and effective in helping prevent new donor specific antibodies (DSA) after transplantation. The presence of DSA increases the risk that the kidney transplant recipient's body will reject the new kidney. The investigators are doing this research because it is estimated that greater than 50% of kidney transplant failures are attributed to antibodies produced in the body, that attack the transplanted organ as a foreign object. DSA produced in the body after a kidney transplant, is thought to occur in 20-50% of patients and is associated with a low likelihood that the organ recipient's body will accept the new kidney. A major unmet need in the kidney transplant area are safe and effective therapies to prevent DSA after transplantation.
Accrual Objective: Kidney transplant recipients (n=5) will receive standard of care (SOC) therapy consisting of alemtuzumab and steroid induction with mycophenolic acid and tacrolimus maintenance immunosuppression, plus induction and treatment for 6 months with belimumab. Study Design: This is an open-label pilot-study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of belimumab plus standard of care in the prevention of de novo donor specific antibody in adult subjects after kidney transplantation. The investigators will enroll 5 adult, deceased or living donor kidney transplant recipients who are sensitized, evidenced by: Positive sum Donor Specific Antibody (DSA)\<1000 MFI and/or Panel of Reactive Antibodies (PRA)\>0%. The primary endpoint of this study is de novo DSA production. There are two main reasons for selecting this patient population for the proposed study. 1) Sensitized patients are known to have higher rates of de novo DSA production and 2) Patients with low levels of DSA (sum DSA\<1000 MFI) will enable more fidelity in determining the DSA that is produced de novo. Kidney transplant recipients will receive the standard of care (alemtuzumab and steroid induction with mycophenolic acid and tacrolimus maintenance immunosuppression), plus six months of therapy with belimumab. Belimumab 10 mg/kg will be administered IV for 6 months at the following intervals: Day of transplant (Day 0), and then at Weeks 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 post-transplant. Study Duration: Subjects will be treated for 6 months with belimumab and followed for DSA production for 1 year. Primary Study Objectives: In this proposal the investigators plan to determine (a) whether the addition of belimumab to the standard of care (SOC: alemtuzumab and steroid induction with mycophenolic acid and tacrolimus maintenance immunosuppression) is safe and effective in preventing de novo DSA production at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-transplant. Secondary efficacy endpoints will be 1) graft survival and function as determined by serum creatinine/eGFR and urine protein at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months 2) rates of acute cellular and antibody mediated rejection, at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Primary Outcomes: To determine whether the addition of belimumab to the standard of care (SOC: alemtuzumab and steroid induction with mycophenolic acid and tacrolimus maintenance immunosuppression) is safe and effective in preventing de novo DSA production 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Secondary Outcomes: Secondary endpoints will be 1) graft survival and function as determined by serum creatinine/eGFR and urine protein at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months 2) rates of acute cellular and antibody mediated rejection at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months and 3) the nature, frequency, and severity of serious and non-serious adverse events ≥Grade 2 per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), Version 4.0.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
3
Kidney transplant recipients (n=5) will receive standard of care (SOC) therapy consisting of alemtuzumab and steroid induction with mycophenolic acid and tacrolimus maintenance immunosuppression, plus induction and treatment for 6 months with belimumab.
University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics
Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Number of Participants That Are DSA Positive as Measured by Mean Fluorescence Intensity Greater Than Zero for DSA
Use descriptive statistics to describe the rate of de novo DSA development as determined using Luminex, graft survival and function as determined by serum creatinine/eGFR and urine protein, rates of acute cellular and antibody mediated rejection.
Time frame: 12 months from the time of transplant.
Number of Participants With DSA Development, Graft Survival, and Cellular and Antibody Rejection
Use descriptive statistics to describe the rate of de novo DSA development as determined using Luminex, graft survival and function, and rates of acute cellular and antibody mediated rejection
Time frame: 12 months from the time of transplant
Report the Nature, Frequency, and Severity of Serious and Non-serious Adverse Events Greater Than or Equal to Grade 2 Per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), Version 4.0.
Use descriptive statistics to report the nature, frequency, and severity of serious and non-serious adverse events greater than or equal to Grade 2.
Time frame: Monitored for 12 months from the time of transplant
Graft Survival and Function by Serum Creatinine
Use descriptive statistics to describe the rate of graft survival and function as determined by serum creatinine
Time frame: 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months from the time of transplant
Graft Survival and Function by eGFR
Use descriptive statistics to describe the rate of graft survival and function as determined by eGFR.
Time frame: 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months from the time of transplant
Graft Survival and Function by Urine Protein
Use descriptive statistics to describe the rate of graft survival and function as determined by urine protein.
Time frame: 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months from the time of transplant
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