Author information
1
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (C.M.D., M.G.B., D.M.B., M.A.C., G.M., N.B., R.W., A.R., F.F.N., D.O., D.L.S., M.S., N.M.D.).
2
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (J.S.).
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Given the high mortality rate for patients with end-stage kidney disease receiving dialysis and the efficacy and safety of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatments, discarded kidneys from HCV-infected donors may be a neglected public health resource.
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the tolerability and feasibility of using direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) as prophylaxis before and after kidney transplantation from HCV-infected donors to non-HCV-infected recipients (that is, HCV D+/R- transplantation).
DESIGN:
Open-label nonrandomized trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02781649).
SETTING:
Single center.
PARTICIPANTS:
10 HCV D+/R- kidney transplant candidates older than 50 years with no available living donors.
INTERVENTION:
Transplantation of kidneys from deceased donors aged 13 to 50 years with positive HCV RNA and HCV antibody test results. All recipients received a dose of grazoprevir (GZR), 100 mg, and elbasvir (EBR), 50 mg, immediately before transplantation. Recipients of kidneys from donors with genotype 1 infection continued receiving GZR-EBR for 12 weeks after transplantation; those receiving organs from donors with genotype 2 or 3 infection had sofosbuvir, 400 mg, added to GZR-EBR for 12 weeks of triple therapy.
MEASUREMENTS:
The primary safety outcome was the incidence of adverse events related to GZR-EBR treatment. The primary efficacy outcome was the proportion of recipients with an HCV RNA level below the lower limit of quantification 12 weeks after prophylaxis.
RESULTS:
Among 10 HCV D+/R- transplant recipients, no treatment-related adverse events occurred, and HCV RNA was not detected in any recipient 12 weeks after treatment.
LIMITATION:
Nonrandomized study design and a small number of patients.
CONCLUSION:
Pre- and posttransplantation HCV treatment was safe and prevented chronic HCV infection in HCV D+/R- kidney transplant recipients. If confirmed in larger studies, this strategy should markedly expand organ options and reduce mortality for kidney transplant candidates without HCV infection.
PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE:
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.