title: Conversion to enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium from various doses of mycophenolate mofetil: results of a prospective international multicenter trial in maintenance renal transplant patients receiving cyclosporine.
abstract: Conversion from mycophenolate mofetil (MMF, CellCept) to enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS, myfortic) is safe and effective in renal transplant patients treated with the standard dose of 2 g MMF. In this 6-month, international, multicenter, open-label, single-arm trial, a large cohort of maintenance renal transplant patients receiving different doses of MMF were converted under normal clinical conditions to equimolar doses of EC-MPS. Mean calculated creatinine clearance remained stable from the time of study entry (59.6 +/- 19.7 mL/min) to the end of the study (58.3 +/- 19.8 mL/min). Adverse events were reported by 152 patients (67%), with gastrointestinal complications being observed in 45 patients (20%). Thirty-three patients (15%) experienced adverse events or infections with a suspected relation to EC-MPS, including one case of anemia and two cases of leukopenia. Eleven patients (4.9%) required a reduction in EC-MPS dose and seven patients (3.1%) permanently discontinued EC-MPS owing to adverse events. At month 6 after conversion, five patients (2.2%) experienced biopsy-proven acute rejection. There were no graft losses or deaths. These data support earlier findings that stable maintenance renal transplant patients receiving MMF with cyclosporine with or without corticosteroids can be converted to EC-MPS with no compromise in efficacy and tolerability, and no adverse effect on renal function.
authors.affiliation: Multi Organ Transplant Program, Dalhousie University, QE II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2Y9, Canada.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nashan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Suwelack
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ivens
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Arns
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lhotta
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bourbigot
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Budde
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pietruck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013608:Tablets, Enteric-Coated; D013997:Time Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013608:Tablets, Enteric-Coated; D016572:Cyclosporine; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid