Mycophenolate mofetil, also known as MMF or CellCept, is a prodrug of mycophenolic acid, and classified as a reversible inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH). This drug is an immunosuppressant combined with drugs such as Cyclosporine and corticosteroids to prevent organ rejection after hepatic, renal, and cardiac transplants. It is marketed by Roche Pharmaceuticals and was granted FDA approval for the prophylaxis of transplant rejection in 1995. In addition to the above uses, mycophenolate mofetil has also been studied for the treatment of nephritis and other complications of autoimmune diseases. Unlike another immunosuppressant class, the calcineurin inhibitors, MMF generally does not cause nephrotoxicity or fibrosis.
Previously, mycophenolic acid (MPA) was administered to individuals with autoimmune diseases beginning in the 1970s, but was discontinued due to gastrointestinal effects and concerns over carcinogenicity. The new semi-synthetic 2-morpholinoethyl ester of MPA was synthesized to avoid the gastrointestinal effects associated with the administration of MPA. It demonstrates an increased bioavailability, a higher efficacy, and reduced gastrointestinal effects when compared to MPA.
Mycophenolate mofetil is indicated in combination with other immunosuppressants to prevent the rejection of kidney, heart, or liver transplants in adult and pediatric patients ≥3 months old. Mycophenolate mofetil may also be used off-label as a second-line treatment for autoimmune hepatitis that has not responded adequately to first-line therapy. Other off-label uses of this drug include lupus-associated nephritis and dermatitis in children.
University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/University of Washington Cancer Consortium, Seattle, Washington, United States
Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, United States
Union Hospital Cancer Center at Union Hospital, Elkton MD, Maryland, United States
Western Pennsylvania Cancer Institute at Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Cancer Institute of New Jersey at the Cooper University Hospital - Voorhees, Voorhees, New Jersey, United States
CCOP - Atlanta Regional, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, United States
USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital, Los Angeles, California, United States
Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/University of Washington Cancer Consortium, Seattle, Washington, United States
Stanford University Hospitals and Clinics, Stanford, California, United States
Simmons Cancer Center at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center - Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States
University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center at Vanderbilt Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, Arizona, United States
Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, Portland, Oregon, United States
Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Healthcare System, Seattle, Washington, United States
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/University of Washington Cancer Consortium, Seattle, Washington, United States
Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, United States
Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers-Aurora, Aurora, Colorado, United States
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/University of Washington Cancer Consortium, Seattle, Washington, United States
Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
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