New drug duo aims to stop kidney rejection in its tracks
NCT ID NCT06918990
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Aug 11, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This early-stage trial tests two drugs, carfilzomib and belatacept, in 25 kidney transplant recipients who have a type of rejection called antibody-mediated rejection. The goal is to see if the combination is safe and can reduce harmful antibodies or improve kidney function over a year. Participants will have regular biopsies and blood tests to track their response.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- carfilzomib and belatacept
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could offer a new treatment option for kidney transplant patients experiencing antibody-mediated rejection, potentially preserving graft function longer.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early Phase 1 trial with only 25 participants, so safety and efficacy are not yet established. The drugs may cause serious infections or infusion reactions.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
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About 25 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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May 2026
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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A government research agency
The lead sponsor is the US National Institutes of Health.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 75 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Able to understand and agree to participate in the study. 2. Have received a kidney transplant from a living or deceased donor (including re-transplants). 3. Men and women must agree to use birth control during the study and for 3 months after the last dose of study drugs, or be surgically sterile or post-menopausal. 4. Heart function must be good enough (LVEF of at least 40%) without severe heart issues or high blood pressure in the lungs. 5. Must have been previously exposed to the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). 6. Diagnosed with specific types of kidney transplant rejection based on criteria, with certain conditions on timing and treatment history. 7. Kidney function must be at a certain level (eGFR of at least 30 ml/min/1.73 m²). 8. Patient is ≥6-months post-transplant or is \<6 months post-transplant but has documentation that they have been offered and/or received the local standard of care treatment prior to enrollment. 9. Must have a measurable level of specific antibodies against the donor kidney (HLA DSA) with a certain intensity. 10. Up-to-date vaccinations according to guidelines for transplant patients. 11. Must have a negative tuberculosis (TB) test and chest x-ray before enrollment, no symptoms or known contact with TB, and not have recently traveled to or lived in areas with high TB rates. If previously infected with TB, must have completed treatment and have a recent negative chest x-ray. 12. If previously infected with COVID-19, must be fully recovered for at least 21 days before joining the study. No COVID-19 test required for those without symptoms. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Unable or unwilling to give consent or follow study rules. 2. Kidney transplant with incompatible blood types. 3. Very high levels of protein in urine, indicating severe kidney issues. 4. Previously had a non-kidney organ or bone marrow transplant. 5. Any other medical issues that might increase risk, make following the study rules hard, or affect study results, as judged by the study doctor. 6. Heart attack within the last year, uncontrolled chest pain, or signs of a recent heart problem on an ECG. 7. Severe heart failure (Class 3 or higher). 8. Irregular heartbeats that can't be controlled with medication. 9. Participants who are actively receiving any of the therapies listed below, or who have previously received these therapies without meeting the required washout period prior to the qualifying biopsy and donor-specific antibody (DSA) assessment: * ≥4 weeks since last dose: IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin), therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) * ≥6 weeks since last dose: Proteasome inhibitors * ≥3 months since last dose: Eculizumab; lymphocyte-depleting agents (e.g., rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin, alemtuzumab); anti-CD20 agents * ≥6 months since last dose: Anti-CD38 agents; anti-IL-6 agents 10. Used any experimental drug not specified within the last 4 weeks or longer if the drug stays in the body longer. 11. Serious medical or mental health issues that could interfere with the study. 12. Cancer diagnosis or treatment within the past 2 years, except for certain skin cancers or cancers with a high cure rate. 13. Known allergy to Captisol® (used in the study drug). 14. Very low blood counts (hemoglobin, neutrophils, or platelets). 15. Positive for HIV, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C, unless Hepatitis C was successfully treated. 16. Severe infections needing treatment in the last 4 weeks. 17. Specific kidney infection (BK nephropathy) or high levels of BK virus. 18. Certain kidney biopsy results indicating other types of rejection or kidney diseases. 19. Treated for a specific viral infection (CMV) in the last 90 days or resistant to certain CMV treatments. 20. Received a live vaccine in the last 4 weeks. 21. Severe liver disease or abnormal liver tests. 22. Pregnant or breastfeeding women. Women who can become pregnant must have a negative pregnancy test or proof they are not pregnant. 23. Any other significant medical condition that could interfere with the study according to the doctor. 24. Kidney rejection within 6 months post-transplant without standard care. 25. Confirmed severe protein levels in urine. 26. Underwent certain treatments from the time of entry DSA result and biopsy screening. 27. History of multiple unprovoked blood clots. 28. Diagnosed with Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS).
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
11 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Christ Hospital (Site # 71195)
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGCincinnati, Ohio, 45267, United States
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Cleveland Clinic (Site # 71101)
RECRUITINGCleveland, Ohio, 44195, United States
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Duke University (Site # 71139)
RECRUITINGDurham, North Carolina, 27710, United States
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Mayo Clinic Arizona (Site # 71144)
RECRUITINGPhoenix, Arizona, 85054, United States
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NYU Langone Health (Site # 71177)
RECRUITINGNew York, New York, 10016, United States
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Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine (Site # 71110)
RECRUITINGChicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
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UCLA Medical Center (Site #: 71123)
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGLos Angeles, California, 90024, United States
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University of Alabama Medical Center (Site # 71136)
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGBirmingham, Alabama, 35294, United States
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University of Cincinnati (Site # 71118)
RECRUITINGCincinnati, Ohio, 45267, United States
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University of Wisconsin Madison (Site # 71112)
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGMadison, Wisconsin, 53726, United States
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Washington University (Site # 71157)
RECRUITINGSt Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can your gut bacteria change how transplant drugs work?
- Your gut bacteria might predict transplant rejection
- Engineered immune cells aim to trick the body into accepting a new kidney
- Massive data dive aims to outsmart kidney transplant rejection
- Smartphone Check-Ins could save transplanted kidneys
- Harmless virus levels may predict transplant complications