In a phase II study, 43 renal cell carcinoma patients were treated with individualised doses of ABR-214936; a fusion of a Fab recognising the antigen 5T4, and Staphylococcal enterotoxin A. Drug was given intravenously on 4 consecutive days, treatment was repeated 1 month later. Treatment was associated with moderate fever and nausea, but well tolerated. Of 40 evaluable patients, 28 had disease control at 2 months, and at 4 months, one patient showed partial response (PR) and 16 patients stable disease. Median survival, with minimum follow-up of 26 months was 19.7 months with 13 patients alive to date. Stratification by the Motzer's prognostic criteria highlights prolonged survival compared to published expectation. Patients receiving higher drug exposure had greater disease control and lived almost twice as long as expected, whereas the low-exposure patients survived as expected. Sustained interleukin-2 (IL-2) production after a repeated injection appears to be a biomarker for clinical effect, as the induced-IL-2 level on the day 2 of treatment correlated with survival. The high degree of disease control and the prolonged survival suggest that this treatment can be effective. These findings will be used in the trial design for the next generation of drug, with reduced antigenicity and toxicity.
BackgroundThis study investigated medication adherence in kidney transplant patients (KTPs) converted from immediate-release tacrolimus (IR-T) to prolonged-release tacrolimus (PR-T)-based immunosuppression in routine practice.MethodsNoninterventional, observational, multicenter study in Norway. Included adult KTPs with stable graft function, converted from IR-T (baseline) to PR-T (1 mg:1 mg) in routine practice. Data were collected at baseline, and months 1, 3, 6, and 12 postconversion. Primary endpoint: adherence using the Basel Assessment of Adherence to Immunosuppressive Medication Scale. Secondary assessments: tacrolimus dose and trough levels (target, 3-7 ng/mL), clinical laboratory parameters (eg, estimated glomerular filtration rate [Modified Diet in Renal Disease]), and adverse events.ResultsNinety-one KTPs (mean ± SD age 47.7 ± 14.3 years) were analyzed. Mean ± SD change in PR-T dose from baseline (4.4 ± 2.4 mg/d) to month 12 was −0.1 ± 0.9 mg/d; mean tacrolimus trough levels remained within target. Overall medication adherence increased from 45.6% at baseline to 58.1% at month 1, but was similar to baseline thereafter; taking and timing adherence followed a similar pattern. Odds ratio (OR) for adherence at month 1 (but not at other time points) was greater versus baseline for overall (OR, 1.71; P = 0.0205), taking (OR, 3.38; P = 0.0004), and timing (OR, 1.77, P = 0.0252) dimensions. Mean ± SD Basel Assessment of Adherence to Immunosuppressive Medication Scale visual analogue scale score at baseline was 96.4 ± 5.5%, and increased postconversion. Estimated glomerular filtration rate remained stable (month 12, 61.6 ± 17.7 mL/min per 1.73 m2), as did other laboratory parameters. Two (2.2%) patients had adverse events considered probably/possibly treatment-related.ConclusionsThere was disparity between high, patient-perceived and low, actual adherence. Converting stable KTPs from IR-T to PR-T in routine practice did not impact long-term adherence to immunosuppression; renal function remained stable.
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