Alemtuzumab-based induction treatment versus basiliximab-based induction treatment in kidney transplantation (the 3C Study): a randomised trial

At 6 months, alemtuzumab induction with low-dose tacrolimus and mycophenolate (n=426), without corticosteroids, produced a 58% reduction in biopsy-proven acute rejection compared with basiliximab given with standard tacrolimus and mycophenolate with corticosteroids (n=426).

These short term data suggest that alemtuzumab is at least as efficient as the standard of care protocol of anti-interleukin-2 blockade, tacrolimus, mycophenolate, and corticosteroids.

The second part of this study will report on the long term outcomes of the alemtuzumab induction regimen (5 year follow up) and will be of more interest. At 6 months, patients will be switched from tacrolimus to a sirolimus-based maintenance therapy (plus mycophenolate, with or without corticosteroids) or continue taking tacrolimus (plus mycophenolate, with or without corticosteroids).