Evaluating Safety and Efficacy of TOL101 Induction Versus Anti-Thymocyte Globulin to Prevent Kidney Transplant Rejection

Induction therapy with antibodies is administered during transplant surgery and for a short period of time following transplant surgery in an effort to render the immune system less able to mount an initial rejection response. In general, induction therapy is associated with better outcomes compared to the absence of induction therapy. However, currently used induction agents, some of which are not labeled or indicated for induction therapy in transplantation, have drawbacks related to long-term immune system suppression increasing susceptibility to opportunistic infections or malignancies, and other immune-mediated side effects. An unmet medical need exists for a more specific approach to prevent acute organ rejection, without unnecessarily exposing the patient to non-specific or open-ended immune suppression, which may exacerbate the risks of infections and malignancies. TOL101 is a novel antibody that targets a very specific immune cell type that is critical in the acute organ rejection response. In this two-part study, TOL101 will be evaluated for the prophylaxis of acute organ rejection when used as part of an immunosuppressive regimen that includes steroids, MMF, and tacrolimus in first time kidney transplant recipients. This study will test the hypothesis that a more specific approach (with TOL101) to prevention of acute organ rejection may provide similar or better efficacy than the currently used induction antibodies (such as Anti-Thymocyte Globulin or Thymoglobulin) while carrying fewer risks in terms of opportunistic infections, malignancies and adverse effects.