Initial experience with de novo belatacept-based immunosuppression with tacrolimus discontinuation in simultaneous pancreas kidney transplant recipients

DOTTA, A.; PILOTTI, R.; QUEVEDO, A.; TONIOLO, F.; CASADEI, D.; UVA, P.; LEON. L.; CHULUYAN, E.

Osford

Congreso; International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association; 2017

International Transplant Association

In simultaneous pancreas kidney transplantation (SPK) the most common immunosuppression (IS) regimen includes tacrolimus, mycophenolate and steroids. Long term IS with tacrolimus may produce kidney and pancreas graft toxicity and dysfunction. In selective patients, belatacept may allow tacrolimus discontinuation while maintaining adequate immunosuppression for the pancreas.To present our initial experience with de novo use of Belatacept in selective patients receiving a Simultaneous Kidney Pancreas Transplant.Belatacept based immunosuppression has been seldom used in pancreas transplantation to reverse tacrolimus long term graft toxicity, with very safe profile for the pancreas graft. In this small cohort of selected patients, this protocol of de novo use of Belatacept resulted in good kidney and pancreas graft function after a mean follow up of 2 years with no episodes of rejection after tacrolimus discontinuation and no formation of anti-HLA antibodies.