Long-term administration of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS; myfortic®) is safe in kidney transplant patients

M. Salvadori, H. Holzer, G. Civati, H. Sollinger, B. Lien, S. Tomlanovich, E. Bertoni, Y. Seifu, A. C. Marrast, Angelo de Mattos, William Bennett, Mysore Kumar, Raymond Margreiter, Ferdinand Muehlbacher, Karoly Kalmar-Nagy, Martin Wilkie, Kenneth Brayman, Clyde Barker, Ferenc Perner, Miguel GentilMiguel Gonzalez Molina, David Russell, Heide Sperschneider, A. Barama, Serder Yilmaz, Pal Szenohradszky, L. Asztalos, Dietmar Abendroth, Domingo del Castillo, Bernhard Krämer, Wolfgang Arns, Viken Douzdijan, Igor Bajjoka, Yodit Seifu, Anne Claire Marrast

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: To date, there are no data on long-term use of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS; myfortic®) from time of renal transplantation. We report the first long-term safety and efficacy data on EC-MPS when administered for up to 3 years post transplant. Methods: De novo renal transplant recipients completing 1 year of treatment in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial of EC-MPS versus mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) were invited to take part in an open-label extension during which all patients received EC-MPS 720 mg b.i.d. Results from the period 12 - 36 months post transplant were compared to comparable data from MMF-treated patients taking part in two studies of everolimus versus MMF (RAD 201 and RAD 251). Results: Of 367 patients completing the blinded core study, 247(62%) entered the open-label extension phase. During the first 24 months of the extension, the incidence, type and severity of adverse events were comparable between the newly-exposed and long-term EC-MPS patients. There were 2 deaths in the newly-exposed group and 4 among long-term EC-MPS patients, with 1 and 2 graft losses, respectively. Six patients (5%) in the newly-exposed group and 4 (3%) in the long-term EC-MPS group experienced biopsy-proven acute rejection. Cross-study comparisons indicated that the tolerability profile of EC-MPS was similar to MMF, including the incidence of adverse events, infections and malignancies, as was the incidence of efficacy events. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that EC-MPS with cyclosporine and steroids provides good long-term efficacy and tolerability, and confirm the safety of converting renal transplant patients from MMF to EC-MPS.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)112-119
Number of pages8
JournalClinical Nephrology
Volume66
Issue number2
StatePublished - Aug 2006

Keywords

  • Conversion
  • Mycophenolate mofetil
  • Mycophenolate sodium
  • Myfortic®
  • Renal transplantation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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