Desensitization With Belimumab in Sensitized Patients Awaiting Kidney Transplant
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2011-11-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
If subjects are listed for kidney transplant and are considered sensitized, this means they
have a high amount of antibodies in their blood that could react to a kidney transplant
offered for them. Antibodies are protein substances made by the body that fight anything that
the body considers as a threat to it, such as infection or a kidney transplant. Sensitization
may be due to prior transplants, pregnancy, or blood transfusions. Being sensitized can
increase the subject's kidney transplant waiting time as it is more difficult to find a
suitable kidney transplant for them that their antibodies will not react to. The purpose of
this research study is to see if giving the investigational drug belimumab up to one year
pre-transplant can de-sensitize the subjects, or decrease the amount of antibodies in their
blood. This may help make the subjects eligible to receive a kidney transplant more quickly.
If after receiving belimumab, the subjects are compatible with a donor kidney offered and are
medically suitable for transplant at that time, a kidney transplant will be performed.