Breakthrough drug could open door to kidney transplants for 'Impossible' patients

NCT ID NCT04935177

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase 3 trial tested a drug called imlifidase in 64 highly sensitized kidney transplant patients who had almost no chance of finding a compatible donor. The drug breaks down harmful antibodies, allowing a transplant from a donor that would normally be rejected. The study measured kidney function at 12 months and found that imlifidase helped more patients receive a transplant with better kidney function compared to standard care.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Imlifidase (a drug that breaks down antibodies to allow a kidney transplant)

What this could lead to

If successful, this could help highly sensitized patients get a kidney transplant they otherwise couldn't, improving kidney function and survival.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-phase trial with only 64 participants. The drug may not work for everyone, and there are risks like infection or rejection.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for END STAGE RENAL DISEASE are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

end stage renal failure

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Banner Health - University Medical Center - Phoenix

    Phoenix, Arizona, 85006, United States

  • Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

    Los Angeles, California, 90048, United States

  • Columbia University

    New York, New York, 10032, United States

  • Georgetown Transplant Institute

    Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20007, United States

  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Medicine

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States

  • Houston Methodist Hospital

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

  • John Hopkins Hospital

    Baltimore, Maryland, 21287, United States

  • Keck Hospital of University of Southern California (USC)

    Los Angeles, California, 90033, United States

  • Massachusetts General Hospital

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States

  • Mayo Clinic Phoenix

    Phoenix, Arizona, 85054, United States

  • Mayo Clinic Rochester

    Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States

  • Medical College of Wisconsin

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53226, United States

  • Methodist Hospital Specialty and Transplant

    San Antonio, Texas, 78229, United States

  • New York University (NYU) Langone Transplant Institute, NYU Langone Health

    New York, New York, 10016, United States

  • New York-Presbyterian - Weill Cornell Medical Center

    New York, New York, 10065, United States

  • Northwestern University

    Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

  • Saint Barnabas Medical Center

    Livingston, New Jersey, 07039, United States

  • Sutter Health - California Pacific Medical Center

    San Francisco, California, 94115, United States

  • University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hospital

    Birmingham, Alabama, 35249, United States

  • University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center

    San Francisco, California, 94143-0780, United States

  • University of Chicago Medical Center

    Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States

  • University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

    Iowa City, Iowa, 52242, United States

  • University of Minnesota Medical School

    Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, United States

  • University of Washington Medical Center

    Seattle, Washington, 98195, United States

  • Washington University School of Medicine

    St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States