Ex-Vivo Lung Perfusion Mediated Delivery of Rituximab to Clear Latent Epstein-Barr Virus

The risk of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), a B-cell malignancy caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), is highest when latent virus is transmitted from B-cells within the allograft to a na ïve recipient. Ex-vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is a potential platform to modify grafts before transplantation. We hypothesized that EVLP-mediated delivery of Rituximab (RTX), an antibody targeting CD20+ B-cells, may safely clear latent EBV from donor lungs and attenuate viral transmission.

Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation - March 16, 2019 Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: T.J. Ku, M. Cypel, R.V. Ribeiro, V.H. Ferreira, D. Kumar, A. Humar Tags: 110 Source Type: research