Myfortic vs. Cellcept in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Purpose and Description: The purpose of the study is to determine if gastrointestinal toxicity of an anti-rejection medication Myfortic® (mycophenolic acid delayed release) is less than equivalent doses of a similar anti-rejection medication Cellcept® (mycophenolate mofetil, MMF) in patients receiving their first or second kidney transplant from cadaver or living donors. This study consist of two randomized groups, 75 patients given 3 doses of Thymoglobullin (Group I) vs. 75 patients given 3 doses of Thymoglobulin and 2 doses of Basiliximab (Group II). Our standard maintenance protocol dosing of tacrolimus, IMPDH inhibitor (vide infra) and one week course of corticosteroids. Patients will be randomized to receive Myfortic® 1,440 mg/day vs. Cellcept® 2,000 mg/day, each in two divided doses (induced with either the IL-2 receptor inhibitors or thymoglobulin). Tacrolimus will be dosed to 12-hour trough levels of 8-10 ng/ml. Methylprednisolone is to be given as per our center protocols, weaning to dose levels of \<0.1 mg/kg by 3-6 months post-operatively.