WITH PROGRAF AND

AST/ASTS: Prograf (Tacrolimus) Protects Against Kidney Rejection Better Than Cyclosporine CHICAGO, IL -- May 15, 2000 -- The results of a five-year study comparing long-term kidney allograft survival in patients treated with Prograf(R) (tacrolimus) or cyclosporine (CyA) revealed that Prograf-treated patients experienced significantly better graft survival at five years, taking into account crossovers due to refractory kidney rejection. Additionally, Prograf-treated patients were more likely to remain on their randomized therapy compared to CyA-treated patients over the five - year study period.Dr. Pirsch said, Accounting for crossovers due to refractory kidney rejection, the study revealed that those patients receiving Prograf demonstrated a higher rate of graft survival -- 64.1 percent -- when compared to CyA -- 54.3 percent (p=0.014). The protocol allowed for crossover from the randomized drug for refractory rejection and serious adverse events (WHO Grade 3 or greater). At five years, 20 (9.8 percent) of the patients randomized to Prograf and 58 (28.0 percent; p 0.001) randomized to CyA crossed over to the alternate study drug. Treatment failure (discontinuation of randomized drug for rejection or toxicity or graft loss) was also significantly lower with Prograf (44.3 percent) compared to CyA (55.9 percent); (p=0.007).