Novartis halts kidney transplant drug trial
Novartis has announced that trials investigating CFZ533 (iscalimab) in kidney transplant patients has been halted after interim data show it is not as effective as tacrolimus-based treatment in preventing organ rejection.
The CIRRUS-1 study has been discontinued, but CFZ533 will be continued to be investigated in liver transplants and as a potential treatment in other conditions.
In a statement Novartis said: “The analysis indicated that CFZ533 (iscalimab)-based treatment is less efficacious compared to tacrolimus-based treatment in the prevention of organ rejection in patients receiving a kidney transplant.
“Both CFZ533 and tacrolimus were used in combination with other immunosuppressive therapies (induction therapy, mycophenolate and corticosteroids).
