For people living with a kidney transplant, the fear of rejection is always in the back of your mind. Your new kidney is precious – it’s given you freedom from dialysis and a better quality of life. But your immune system sees it as foreign and can attack it. Now, researchers at the Medical University of Vienna have found something genuinely promising.
What is antibody-mediated rejection?
When you receive a kidney transplant, your body’s immune system (the system that normally protects you from infections) can see the new organ as a threat. This leads to rejection – your immune cells attack the transplanted kidney. One form of this, called antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), happens when your body produces antibodies (special proteins) that damage the transplanted organ. It’s one of the toughest rejection problems to manage.
Until now, there has been no highly effective treatment that could safely stop this process without weakening your immune system dangerously.
The breakthrough
Researchers tested a new therapeutic approach on 22 kidney transplant patients who had developed antibody-mediated rejection. The treatment works by targeting a protein called CD38, which plays a key role in the rejection process. In trials, the therapy was both safe and highly effective – patients saw significant improvements without severe side effects. At MRIKPA, we believe this kind of targeted, precision medicine offers real hope to transplant recipients.
You can read the full original article from Medical University of Vienna here: New therapy proven effective against rejection in kidney transplantation.
Hope for patients facing transplant rejection
If you’re living with a transplant, this research speaks directly to your concerns. Rejection is a real threat to graft survival – many people lose their transplants to rejection within the first decade. This new approach could give you and your medical team another powerful tool to protect your kidney and keep you off dialysis longer. For those waiting for a transplant, it makes the prospect of receiving one even more promising.
Advances in preventing rejection after transplant are among the most meaningful ways we can protect people’s kidney health and quality of life. This kind of innovation is exactly what patients need and deserve.
– Guy Hill, Chair of MRIKPA
Clinical evidence, but not yet widely available
It’s important to be realistic. This therapy shows promise in early trials, but it’s not yet widely available. The research used a small number of patients, and the treatment will need to go through further clinical testing before it becomes standard practice in the NHS. However, it points to an encouraging direction: we’re moving towards more targeted, safer ways to prevent rejection. If you’re currently on immunosuppressive drugs and worried about rejection, talk to your transplant team about what options are available to you now.
For more information about transplant care, visit our renal care guide, or contact our team at support@mrikpa.org.uk or 07745 242 684.
Source: Medical University of Vienna, May 2024 – read the original article
This article is provided for general information and awareness purposes only and was believed to be accurate at the time of publishing. It is not intended as medical advice – please always consult your doctor or renal team for guidance on your individual circumstances. Images used are for illustration purposes only and may not be medically or editorially accurate. While we take every care, errors can occur. If you spot an inaccuracy, please let us know at support@mrikpa.org.uk.
