Basiliximab is well tolerated and effective in the treatment of steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Abstract

Basiliximab, a chimeric interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2-R) antagonist, was evaluated in 17 patients with steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Patients were transplanted from a related (n = 6) or unrelated (n = 11) HLA-identical donor because of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 4), acute myeloid leukemia (n = 3), chronic myeloid leukemia (n = 7), myelodysplastic syndrome (n = 1), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 1), and multiple myeloma (n = 1). Basiliximab was given at a dose of 2 x 20 mg on 2 consecutive days after steroid-refractory acute GVHD had developed. Basiliximab was repeated on day 8 in cases of persistent GVHD. A median of four basiliximab infusions (range 1-12) were given to these patients. None had infusion-associated or cytokine-related side-effects after basiliximab. Twelve of 17 patients (71%) responded to basiliximab, 9/17 (53%) had a complete response (CR) of acute GVHD and 3/17 (18%) had a partial response (PR). Five of 17 patients (29%) did not respond. Chronic GVHD developed in 8/13 evaluable patients and only 2/8 had responded to basiliximab before. Five of 13 evaluable patients have no signs of chronic GVHD and all five had a CR or PR after basiliximab. This is the first report on the safety of basiliximab in patients with steroid-refractory acute GVHD. Our data suggest that basiliximab is effective in a substantial proportion of these patients.

• Authors: G Massenkeil, S Rackwitz, I Genvresse, O Rosen, B Dörken, R Arnold
• Journal: Bone marrow transplantation (Bone Marrow Transplant) Vol. 30 Issue 12 Pg. 899-903 (Dec 2002) ISSN: 0268-3369 [Print] England
• PMID: 12476283 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Adrenal Cortex Hormones
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Recombinant Fusion Proteins
• Basiliximab

Topics

• Adrenal Cortex Hormones (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Adult
• Antibodies, Monoclonal (therapeutic use)
• Basiliximab
• Chronic Disease
• Drug Resistance
• Female
• Graft vs Host Disease (drug therapy, mortality, therapy)
• Hematologic Neoplasms (therapy)
• Humans
• Immunosuppressive Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation (adverse effects)
• Recombinant Fusion Proteins
• Remission Induction
• Safety
• Transplantation Conditioning
• Transplantation, Homologous (adverse effects)
• Treatment Outcome