A Study to Evaluate the Benefits and Risks of Conversion of Existing Adolescent Kidney Transplant Recipients Aged 12 to <18 Years to a Belatacept-based Immunosuppressive Regimen as Compared to Continuation of a Calcineurin Inhibitor-based Regimen, and Their Adherence to Immunosuppressive Medications

This study is looking for young people aged between 12 and 17 years old who have had a kidney transplant. You must have received your new kidney at least six months ago from either a living or deceased donor. You also need to be taking a stable dose of certain anti-rejection medicines (like tacrolimus or cyclosporine, along with mycophenolate) and have generally stable kidney function for at least three months.

There are also some important health checks you'll need to pass. For example, you must have shown signs of having had the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the past, but not have an active infection of it now. You also need to have completed your first course of COVID-19 vaccinations at least six weeks before joining the study.

You would not be able to join if you have never had EBV or if your EBV status isn't known. You also can't join if you've had a recent serious rejection episode of your kidney (in the last six months) or if you've had certain types of strong rejection in the past. If you've previously taken belatacept or been in another belatacept study with your current kidney, you also wouldn't be eligible. There are also a few other medical reasons that might mean you can't take part.

If you join this study, the doctors and nurses will monitor your health very carefully. Some participants will switch from their current anti-rejection medicine to a new belatacept-based treatment, while others will continue with their current medicine. You will need to attend regular clinic visits for check-ups, blood tests, and to discuss how you're feeling and how well you're taking your medication. The doctors will also look at how your kidney is working over time. The exact number of visits and the total length of time you'll be involved in the study will be explained in more detail by the study team, but it will involve ongoing assessments as part of your transplant care.