Everolimus plus reduced-exposure CsA versus mycophenolic acid plus standard-exposure CsA in renal-transplant recipients

Everolimus allows calcineurin-inhibitor reduction without loss of efficacy and may improve renal-transplant outcomes. In a 24-month, open-label study, 833 de novo renal-transplant recipients were randomized to everolimus 1.5 or 3.0 mgday (target troughs 3-8 and 6-12 ngmL, respectively) with reduced-exposure CsA, or mycophenolic acid (MPA) 1.44 gday plus standard-exposure CsA. Patients received basiliximab ± corticosteroids. The primary endpoint was composite efficacy failure (treated biopsy-proven acute rejection, graft loss, death or loss to follow-up) and the main safety endpoint was renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate eGFR, by Modification of Diet in Renal Disease MDRD) at Month 12 (last-observation-carried-forward analyses). Month 12 efficacy failure rates were noninferior in the everolimus 1.5 mg (25.3%) and 3.0 mg (21.9%) versus MPA (24.2%) groups. Mean eGFR at Month 12 was noninferior in the everolimus groups versus the MPA group (54.6 and 51.3 vs 52.2 mLmin1.73 m² in the everolimus 1.5 mg, 3.0 mg and MPA groups, respectively; 95% confidence intervals for everolimus 1.5 mg and 3.0 mg vs MPA: -1.7, 6.4 and -5.0, 3.2, respectively). The overall incidence of adverse events was comparable between groups. The use of everolimus with progressive reduction in CsA exposure, up to 60% at 1 year, resulted in similar efficacy and renal function compared with standard-exposure CsA plus MPA.