Research and Clinical Trials
Because the expertise of its medical professionals is widely acknowledged, Cedars-Sinai is an important hub in the world of kidney transplantation research. Drug companies, scientists from other institutions, technology experts and equipment makers regularly come to our scientific labs to test new protocols and procedures.
Cedars-Sinai is honored to have been awarded two of the five available Controlled Clinical Trials Grants in Kidney Transplantation from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Each trial, one for pediatric patients and one for adults, studies transplant immunotherapy protocols developed at Cedars-Sinai. The trial is examining the ability of intravenous gamma globulin (IVIG) to lower antibodies that cause kidney transplant rejections. Recently, the Transplant Immunotherapy Program conducted an open-label Phase I/II study using a combination of IVIG & Rituximab to desensitize highly HLA sensitized patients awaiting kidney transplantation. This treatment protocol takes 5 weeks to complete and enables a 80% transplant rate. This approach represents a breakthrough for thousand of patients who await transplantation and was published in New England Journal of Medicine on July 17, 2008. Cedars-Sinai is the only Southern California facility involved in this groundbreaking trial.
In addition, an information analysis project is producing important clues gleaned from a large database of kidney transplant patients. Other projects involve trials of transplant-enhancing drugs.
For more information about our clinical research in kidney transplantation, please contact us at (800) 303-6235 or (310) 423-2641.
