Actively Recruiting
Expanding Liver Transplant Immunosuppression Minimization Via Everolimus (CTOT-43)
Led by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) · Updated on 2026-05-22
340
Participants Needed
8
Research Sites
104 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are evaluating the safety, effectiveness, and tolerability of reducing and stopping the anti-rejection medicine tacrolimus in liver transplant recipients while using everolimus alone to help protect kidney function. This phase II clinical trial involves liver transplant patients and aims to find out if this new approach can maintain kidney health after transplant. The study is led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and includes both randomized and observational groups. Participants will first start everolimus along with their current medicines, gradually stop taking mycophenolate compounds and prednisone, and then be randomized into two groups. One group will slowly reduce tacrolimus until stopping it completely while continuing everolimus alone, and the other group will remain on a reduced dose of tacrolimus along with everolimus. Those who cannot tolerate everolimus before randomization will join an observational group and continue their usual treatment without everolimus. Study participation lasts about 18 to 20 months, during which researchers will regularly monitor kidney function, liver health, and any complications. Assessments include blood tests for kidney filtration rates and liver enzymes, checking for signs of rejection or infections, and tracking serious heart or other events. The goal is to understand how this treatment affects kidney function and transplant outcomes over time while ensuring participant safety.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Expanding Liver Transplant Immunosuppression Minimization Via Everolimus
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Subject and/or legal guardian must be able to understand and provide informed consent
- Adult (age greater than or equal to 18 years of age at time of informed consent) recipient of first liver transplant alone (de novo)
- Estimated glomerular filtration rate >=30 ml/min/1.73m^2 at enrollment using the CKD-EPI 2021 equation
- Treatment with tacrolimus therapy, with or without mycophenolic acid derivatives and/or corticosteroids
- Female subjects of childbearing potential with negative pregnancy test upon study entry
- All subjects of reproductive potential agreeing to use contraception for the duration of the study
- Previous vaccination or documented immunity to varicella, measles, hepatitis B, pneumococcus, influenza, zoster (if >=19 years old), and 2019-nCoV (COVID-19) as outlined in the DAIT Vaccination Guideline
You will not qualify if you...
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Inability or unwillingness of a participant to give written informed consent or comply with study protocol
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Active unresolved systemic viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infection requiring oral or intravenous anti-infective therapy
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History of autoimmune liver disease including autoimmune hepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and/or primary biliary cirrhosis, or other contraindications to drug withdrawal
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History of non-hepatic autoimmune disease requiring current or future systemic immunosuppressive therapy other than per study protocol
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History post-transplant of Hepatic Artery Thrombosis or Portal Vein Thrombosis
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History of recurrent cirrhosis after liver transplantation
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Chronic use of systemic glucocorticoids, biological immunomodulatory therapy, or other immunosuppressive agents other than per study protocol
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History of hepatitis B or C virus infection with detectable viral PCR at enrollment
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History of prior organ transplantation (liver or other type)
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History of >= 2 biopsy-proven acute cellular rejection episodes of any severity, >=1 moderate to severe rejection episode (histologically defined or requiring lymphodepletion therapy), or >= 1 antibody- mediated rejection episode
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Active treatment with any mTOR-inhibitor agent (everolimus, sirolimus)
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Contraindication to treatment with everolimus (open wound or wound infection; urine protein: creatinine ratio > 0.5; significant pancytopenia (any of the following: WBC <1.5 K/uL or ANC <1000 cells/uL or actively being treated with GCSF; Hb <8.0; platelet count <50K); serum triglycerides > 1000 mg/dL; other per PI)
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Abnormal liver function tests on study entry: Total Bilirubin (TB)>1.5 mg/dL and Direct Bilirubin (DB) >1.0 mg/dL, Alkaline Phosphatase (AP) >200 U/L, and Alanine Aminotransaminase (ALT)>60 U/L
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Pregnant on enrollment or plan to become pregnant during the study period
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Participation in another clinical trial that would interfere with this study's procedures and intervention:
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Use of investigational biologic or drug (within 8 weeks of study enrollment)
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Additional blood collection that would exceed research blood draw limits
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Any other procedure or intervention, in the investigator's opinion would interfere with this study
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Received live attenuated vaccine(s) within 2 months of enrollment
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Current, diagnosed, mental illness or current, diagnosed, or self-reported drug or alcohol abuse that, in the opinion of the investigator, would interfere with the participant's ability to comply with study requirements or that may impact the quality or interpretation of the data obtained from the study
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Past or current medical problems or findings from physical examination or laboratory testing that are not listed above, which, in the opinion of the investigator, may pose additional risks from participation in the study, may interfere with the participant's ability to comply with study requirements or that may impact the quality or interpretation of the data obtained from the study.
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - Up to 20 months post-liver transplant
Participants will first receive everolimus in addition to their current immunosuppression. Those who tolerate everolimus will be randomized into one of two groups: one group will undergo stepwise reduction and eventual withdrawal of tacrolimus to continue on everolimus monotherapy, while the other group will maintain a reduced tacrolimus dose along with everolimus. Participants who do not tolerate everolimus will stop it and resume their previous immunosuppression regimen.
Multiple visits throughout the treatment period as per clinical protocol
Trial Site Locations
Total: 8 locations
1
Mayo Clinic Hospital Arizona (Site #: 71144)
Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85054
Actively Recruiting
2
University of California, San Francisco (Site #: 71108)
San Francisco, California, United States, 94143
Actively Recruiting
3
Northwestern University (Site #: 71110)
Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
Actively Recruiting
4
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Site #: 71115)
New York, New York, United States, 10029
Actively Recruiting
5
Duke University Medical Center (Site #: 71139)
Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27710
Actively Recruiting
6
University of Pennsylvania (Site #: 71111)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
Actively Recruiting
7
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Site #: 71170)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15260
Actively Recruiting
8
Baylor Medical Center (Site #: 71153)
Dallas, Texas, United States, 75246
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
T
Tracia Debnam, MS
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
3
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