Evaluation of Incidence of Non Adherence to Treatment With Once-daily Formulation of Tacrolimus (ADVAGRAF) in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Following randomization (Day 0), 60 kidney transplant recipients of deceased or live kidneys will be randomized 1:2 into control and study- experimental arm. In control arm, named Tacrolimus BID arm, tacrolimus will be administered unchanged twice daily, morning and evening, while in study--experimental group named Tacrolimus QD- Advagraf, the Advagraf tacrolimus formulation will be administered once daily in the morning. In both groups doses will be adjusted to maintain tacrolimus trough levels at 10-12 ng/mL (days 1-28), 8-10 ng/mL (days 29-168) and 6-8 ng/mL thereafter for both treatment arms.

Adjunct immunosuppression. Per-protocol rejection prophylaxis: All patients will receive Basiliximab induction at 20mg/bw on days 0 and 4. Methylprednisolone will be administered as intravenous bolus doses of 500 mg , 250 mg and 125 mg perioperatively, on days 0,1 and 2. Thereafter oral prednisone will be given: 20 mg/day (days 2-14), 15 mg/day (days 15-30), 10 mg/day (days 30-45), 7.5 mg/day (days 45-60) and 5 mg/day thereafter. MMF (2 g BID) will be started preoperatively, and reduced to 500 mg three times daily after 14-30 days.

Rejection treatment: First-line acute rejection (AR) therapy with corticosteroids will be administered at the dose of 500 mg/day for 3 days. Mono- and/or polyclonal antibodies could be used as therapy for corticosteroid-resistant AR. First-line antibody therapy will be permitted only if biopsy indicate a severe vascular rejection (Banff IIB or III).

Prophylactic treatment:

Prophylactic antiviral treatment with oral ganciclovir 450 mg/day, and PCP prevention with 400 mg Sulfamethoxazole and 80 mg of Trimethoprim/day will be given to all patients on days 1-90.