Good news for kidney transplant recipients: New treatment significantly improves graft function

A new experimental treatment for preventing kidney transplant rejection, Tegoprubart, has shown encouraging results in a Phase 2 clinical trial: patients maintained higher kidney function over two years compared to standard therapy. The FDA granted the drug Fast Track designation. The company plans an international Phase 3 trial in the last quarter of 2026.

A new experimental treatment for preventing kidney transplant rejection, Tegoprubart, has shown encouraging results in a Phase 2 clinical trial. The data, published yesterday (Tuesday) at the International Transplant Congress in Sydney, show that patients who received the drug maintained higher kidney function over two years compared to standard therapy with tacrolimus. The drug, developed by the American company Eledon Pharmaceuticals, is a monoclonal antibody that blocks the CD40L protein. The study included 127 kidney transplant recipients, and 81 completed two years of follow-up. The rate of new-onset diabetes after transplant was significantly lower in the new treatment group (about 2% vs. about 17%). However, the rate of acute rejection in all biopsies was higher in the experimental group (20.6% vs. 14.1%). The FDA granted the drug Fast Track designation. The company plans to begin an international Phase 3 trial called LEGACY in the last quarter of 2026, which will include about 600 kidney transplant recipients. The drug is still experimental, and it has not yet been proven to extend graft survival.