Cytomegalovirus infections after treatment with daclizumab, an anti IL-2 receptor antibody, for prevention of renal allograft rejection

Daclizumab is a newly developed humanized anti-IL-2 receptor monoclonal antibody. We describe the effect of adding daclizumab to conventional dual or triple cyclosporine A immunosuppressive therapy on the incidence and nature of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in patients receiving a first cadaveric renal graft. In the triple therapy study there was no evidence of any difference in CMV rate or course of disease between the two treatment arms, although in the dual therapy study a decrease in the incidence of CMV infection was observed in the patients treated with daclizumab. The onset of CMV disease was markedly delayed in the daclizumab groups in both studies. Daclizumab can effectively reduce the risk of acute rejection without causing a concomitant increase in opportunistic infections, and by decreasing the need for antirejection therapy may also have a beneficial effect on CMV infection rates.