New enzyme therapy allowed for immunologically highly sensitised patent kidney transplant

At the University Hospital Vienna and MedUni Vienna, a kidney was successfully transplanted into an immunologically highly sensitised patient for the first time in Austria as part of a clinical trial using a new enzyme therapy. To prevent the rejection of a transplanted organ, the tissue characteristics of the recipient and donor have to match well. However, some transplant candidates have already developed a high level of antibodies against a large number of HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigens), which make the allocation of a matching donor organ almost impossible, even after an extended waiting period. Common causes for the development of these many antibodies are transfusions, pregnancies or previous transplantations that have led to an immune reaction. Imlifidase, a novel enzyme therapy, cleaves all antibodies and allows selected patients with a high immunological sensitisation the chance to be allocated a donor organ and a subsequent transplant. This creates a window of approximately one week to adapt immunosuppression accordingly and prevent rejection of the donor organ. This novel therapy has only been applied to a few patients worldwide.