About this trial
The overall aim of this study is nephroprotection based on a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-free therapy beyond year one after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in highly pre-selected patients with low rejection risk.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Men**, women*, inter/diverse aged ≥ 18 or <80 years
Signed written informed consent from subject
Liver allograft recipients, either deceased or living donor liver transplant
Liver transplantation more than 12 months ago and less than 36 months ago
Disqualifiers
Previous CNI-free IS
Acute or chronic rejection within the 36 months prior to screening
Prednisolone intake due to another autoimmune disease for more than 8 weeks
eGFR <30ml/min and/or proteinuria >0.5g/l (to mitigate the risk of worsening renal failure should rejection occur and high level of CNI might be required and proteinuria as a contraindication for mTORI-based therapy)
Trial design
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Everolimus
DrugPatients in the intervention group will be switched to CNI-free mTORI-based immunosuppression (EVR 3-8ng/ml) with MMF (250-750 mg bid)
Tacrolimus or Cyclosporine
DrugPatients in the comparator group will be switched to a low dose CNI therapy (TAC trough level 2-4 ng/ml; CYS trough level 50-80 ng/ml) with or without low dose MMF 250 mg bid)
Treatment groups
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
Change from baseline to 14 months in the eGFR between CNI-free and SOC group
The primary endpoint is change from baseline (CFB) to 14 months in the eGFR (ml/min) between the CNI-free and SOC group, where treatment effect is calculated by CFB-CNI-free minus CFB-SOC. The primary analysis will be performed in the Intention to Treat (ITT) population, i.e. all study subjects will be analyzed as randomized. The eGFR will be calculated using the new CKD-EPI Creatinine equation according to the national kidney foundation, 2021
Secondary outcomes
Acute liver graft rejection or liver graft loss until month 14
Biopsy proven acute rejection (BPAR) (yes/no) is defined as liver enzyme elevation above 2x upper limit of normal (ULN) and histological criteria according to the most recent BANFF consensus
Change from baseline to 38 months in the eGFR
Change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR (ml/min)) from baseline to end of follow-up (38 months)
Acute liver graft rejection or liver graft loss until month 38
Biopsy proven acute rejection (BPAR) (yes/no) is defined as liver enzyme elevation above 2xULN and histological criteria according to the most recent BANFF consensus
Progression of chronic kidney disease
-Progression of chronic kidney disease to stage 4, 5 or requirement for renal replacement therapy (yes/no)
Other outcomes
Rate of patients with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
Elevation of Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) \> 2x upper limit of normal (yes/no)
Rate of patients with elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
Elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) \> 2x upper limit of normal (yes/no)
Rate of patients with elevated alkaline phenyl phosphatase (ALP)
Elevation of alkaline phenyl phosphatase (ALP) \> 2x upper limit of normal (yes/no)
Rate of patients with elevated gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT)
Elevation of gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) \> 2x upper limit of normal (yes/no)
Sponsors and contacts
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Hannover Medical School
Lead sponsor
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Collaborator