title: Alemtuzumab (Campath-1H) experience in kidney transplantation what we have learned; current practices; and scope for the future?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Alemtuzumab (Campath) usage as a preconditioning agent in kidney transplantation has gained considerable interest in the recent future. Alemtuzumab is currently available only by special request from Sanofi through its Campath distribution program. It is restricted to transplant programs with prior and continued experience with the agent. There may be a resurgence of interest for the utilization of this agent because of its ease of administration, and less cost and comparable or improved outcome in comparison to other induction agents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alemtuzumab when combined with standard calcineurin inhibitor and mycophenolate mofetil is well tolerated and efficacious as an induction therapy and allows for long-term steroid avoidance in high-risk renal transplant recipients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The transplant community has advanced through a learning curve with the use of alemtuzumab over time; starting from an agent that was tried out to induce proper tolerance, minimization of nephrotoxic calcineurin inhibitors, and currently as a comparable depletional therapy that can reduce acute rejection in high-risk kidney transplant recipients.
authors.affiliation: aTransplant Unit at Erie County Medical Center bDepartment of Medicine, Division of Nephrology cSchool of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, New York dDepartment of Medicine, Division Nephrology, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, Louisiana. eDepartment of Surgery, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Aijaz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gundroo
authors.forename: Mareena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zachariah
authors.forename: Neeraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Rajeev
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000074323:Alemtuzumab