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Comparison of Sirolimus and Azathioprine in Lung Transplantation

Comparison of a Tacrolimus/Sirolimus/Prednisone Regimen Versus Tacrolimus/Azathioprine/Prednisone Immunosuppressive Regimen in Lung Transplantation

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00321906
Enrollment
181
Registered
2006-05-04
Start date
2002-04-30
Completion date
2011-08-31
Last updated
2016-09-21

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Acute Graft Rejection, Delayed Graft Function

Keywords

Rejection in lung transplant

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to compare the safety and effectiveness of two different anti-rejection drug regimens.

Detailed description

This multicenter prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial compared the open label use of sirolimus with that of azathioprine in a tacrolimus-based immunosuppression regimen. Eligible patients were identified during a 90-day screening period immediately after transplantation and randomized via a computer-generated scheme. Patient randomization was stratified according to center and rejection status in the first 90 days after transplantation. All patients received IL-2 receptor antagonist induction therapy, tacrolimus, azathioprine, and corticosteroids until 90 days after transplantation. At 90 days after transplantation, patients were randomized at a 1:1 ratio to either continue azathioprine or change from azathioprine to sirolimus. The dosing and levels of immunosuppressive medications were standardized for all patients included in this study. Tacrolimus was dosed at 0.04 mg/kg twice daily with target trough levels between 5 and 15 ng/ml, azathioprine was administered at 2 mg/kg daily with dose adjustments for leukopenia, sirolimus was initially dosed at 2 mg/day with target trough levels between 5 and 15 ng/ml, and prednisone was tapered to not more than 10 mg/day by 3 months after transplantation. All patients received induction therapy with either daclizumab or basiliximab as per the product package insert. In addition, prophylactic antimicrobials were standardized among the participating sites. All patients with either donor and/or recipient cytomegalovirus (CMV)-positive serostatus received either intravenous ganciclovir or oral valganciclovir for a total of 90 days. Lung transplant recipients who were negative for both donor and recipient CMV serostatus received valacyclovir for 90 days. Antifungal prophylaxis was determined by each site. Pneumocystis jiroveci prophylaxis was continued throughout the study. Lipid-lowering medications were recommended according to the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines.

Interventions

DRUGazathioprine

azathioprine 2mg/kg

DRUGsirolimus

sirolimus 2-4mg daily

Sponsors

Astellas Pharma Inc
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
Loyola University
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Florida
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Pennsylvania
CollaboratorOTHER
Baylor College of Medicine
CollaboratorOTHER
Ochsner Health System
CollaboratorOTHER
Columbia University
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Wisconsin, Madison
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Chicago
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Lung transplant recipients between the age of 18 and 65 years of age. * Females who are capable of becoming pregnant must have a negative pregnancy test prior to consent. (Females of childbearing potential must be using a medically acceptable method of birth control for the duration of the study.) * All patients must be able to give written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

* White blood cell count (WBC) \< 4.0/mm3 * Platelet count \< 100,000/mm3 * Severe hypercholesterolemia (\> 350 mg/dl) or hypertriglyceridemia (\> 500 mg/dl) * Uncontrolled systemic infection at the time of consent. * Previous organ transplant * Treatment with a drug within the last 30 days that has not received regulatory approval at the time of study entry or for the duration of the study (3 years). * Use of maintenance immunosuppression other than daclizumab, tacrolimus, azathioprine, or prednisone prior to randomization.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Acute Rejection Rate at 12 Months12mosRaw proportion of patients that experienced acute rejection at or before 12 months.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Severity of Acute Rejection at 12 Months12 mosRaw proportion of patients that experienced rejection at or above grade A2 by 12 months. Grade A0 - None With/Without Grade A1 - Minimal Grade A2 - Mild Grade A3 - Moderate
Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) at 24 Months24 mosKaplan-Meier estimate of proportion of patients that had not experienced BOS by 24 months.
Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) at 36 Months36 mosKaplan-Meier estimate of proportion of patients that had not experienced BOS by 36 months.
Acute Rejection-free Survival at 12 Months12 mosKaplan-Meier estimate of proportion of patients that had not experienced acute rejection by 12 months. Acute rejection is defined as rejection at any of the following grades. Grade A0 - None With/Without Grade A1 - Minimal Grade A2 - Mild Grade A3 - Moderate
Overall Survival at 24 Months24 mosKaplan-Meier estimate of proportion of patients that survived to (i.e., had not died by) 24 months.
Overall Survival at 36 Months36 mosKaplan-Meier estimate of proportion of patients that survived to (i.e., had not died by) 36 months.
Overall Survival at 12 Months12 mosKaplan-Meier estimate of proportion of patients that survived to (i.e., had not died by) 12 months.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Azathioprine
(tacrolimus,azathioprine/prednisone)
94
Sirolimus
tacrolimus/sirolimus/prednisone
87
Total181

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyAdverse Event3644
Overall StudyDeath96
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up12
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject04

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicAzathioprineSirolimusTotal
Age, Continuous58 years57 years57 years
Sex: Female, Male
Female
40 Participants34 Participants74 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
54 Participants53 Participants107 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
94 / 9487 / 87
serious
Total, serious adverse events
32 / 9447 / 87

Outcome results

Primary

Acute Rejection Rate at 12 Months

Raw proportion of patients that experienced acute rejection at or before 12 months.

Time frame: 12mos

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
AzathioprineAcute Rejection Rate at 12 Months48 percentage of participants
SirolimusAcute Rejection Rate at 12 Months39 percentage of participants
Secondary

Acute Rejection-free Survival at 12 Months

Kaplan-Meier estimate of proportion of patients that had not experienced acute rejection by 12 months. Acute rejection is defined as rejection at any of the following grades. Grade A0 - None With/Without Grade A1 - Minimal Grade A2 - Mild Grade A3 - Moderate

Time frame: 12 mos

Population: The analysis population included patients who underwent at least one transbronchial biopsy.

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
AzathioprineAcute Rejection-free Survival at 12 Months56 percentage of participants
SirolimusAcute Rejection-free Survival at 12 Months58 percentage of participants
Secondary

Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) at 24 Months

Kaplan-Meier estimate of proportion of patients that had not experienced BOS by 24 months.

Time frame: 24 mos

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
AzathioprineBronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) at 24 Months81 percentage of participants
SirolimusBronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) at 24 Months78 percentage of participants
Secondary

Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) at 36 Months

Kaplan-Meier estimate of proportion of patients that had not experienced BOS by 36 months.

Time frame: 36 mos

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
AzathioprineBronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) at 36 Months76 percentage of participants
SirolimusBronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) at 36 Months72 percentage of participants
Secondary

Overall Survival at 12 Months

Kaplan-Meier estimate of proportion of patients that survived to (i.e., had not died by) 12 months.

Time frame: 12 mos

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
AzathioprineOverall Survival at 12 Months97 percentage of participants
SirolimusOverall Survival at 12 Months97 percentage of participants
Secondary

Overall Survival at 24 Months

Kaplan-Meier estimate of proportion of patients that survived to (i.e., had not died by) 24 months.

Time frame: 24 mos

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
AzathioprineOverall Survival at 24 Months89 percentage of participants
SirolimusOverall Survival at 24 Months94 percentage of participants
Secondary

Overall Survival at 36 Months

Kaplan-Meier estimate of proportion of patients that survived to (i.e., had not died by) 36 months.

Time frame: 36 mos

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
AzathioprineOverall Survival at 36 Months84 percentage of participants
SirolimusOverall Survival at 36 Months87 percentage of participants
Secondary

Severity of Acute Rejection at 12 Months

Raw proportion of patients that experienced rejection at or above grade A2 by 12 months. Grade A0 - None With/Without Grade A1 - Minimal Grade A2 - Mild Grade A3 - Moderate

Time frame: 12 mos

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
AzathioprineSeverity of Acute Rejection at 12 Months24 percentage of participants
SirolimusSeverity of Acute Rejection at 12 Months18 percentage of participants

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 23, 2026