New drug duo aims to stop kidney rejection in its tracks

NCT ID NCT06918990

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

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

Phase 1

The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.

Participants

About 25 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

May 2026

Expected to finish

Jun 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

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

18 to 75 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

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

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.

  1. The places running it

    11 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. 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

  • Christ Hospital (Site # 71195)

    NOT_YET_RECRUITING

    Cincinnati, Ohio, 45267, United States

  • Cleveland Clinic (Site # 71101)

    RECRUITING

    Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, United States

  • Duke University (Site # 71139)

    RECRUITING

    Durham, North Carolina, 27710, United States

  • Mayo Clinic Arizona (Site # 71144)

    RECRUITING

    Phoenix, Arizona, 85054, United States

  • NYU Langone Health (Site # 71177)

    RECRUITING

    New York, New York, 10016, United States

  • Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine (Site # 71110)

    RECRUITING

    Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

  • UCLA Medical Center (Site #: 71123)

    NOT_YET_RECRUITING

    Los Angeles, California, 90024, United States

  • University of Alabama Medical Center (Site # 71136)

    NOT_YET_RECRUITING

    Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, United States

  • University of Cincinnati (Site # 71118)

    RECRUITING

    Cincinnati, Ohio, 45267, United States

  • University of Wisconsin Madison (Site # 71112)

    NOT_YET_RECRUITING

    Madison, Wisconsin, 53726, United States

  • Washington University (Site # 71157)

    RECRUITING

    St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States

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