Bortezomib-based treatment of antibody mediated rejection in pancreas allograft recipients.

This report presents the first experience with plasma cell-targeted therapy in treating antibody mediated rejection in pancreas transplant recipients. In this experience, bortezomib provided results similar to those previously reported in kidney transplant recipients, with the exception that DSA responses were not quite as dramatic in pancreas transplant recipients. However, even in patients with antibody mediated rejection refractory to standard therapies, significant responses were obtained with the proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib. These results confirm the potential for bortezomib-based therapies in pancreas transplant recipients, and also demonstrate that rejection following pancreas transplantation may require innovative approaches to provide optimal results.