A number of strategies, including both local and systemic immunosuppression, are currently used to increase the success rate of high-risk corneal transplants. In the large majority of corneal transplant recipients, corticosteroids are still the gold standard for prevention and treatment of rejection. When rejection risk is considered to be high, single and combined administration of stronger immunosuppressive drugs such as tacrolimus, cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) are often prescribed to reduce the likelihood of transplant failure. However, the prolonged use of these medications can cause significant side effects and increase the risk of infection. For this reason, new or alternative treatments are badly needed to safely prevent rejection of high-risk corneal transplants and/or to reduce potential adverse side effects of currently prescribed immunosuppressive drugs.
Project Info
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 602470. The material presented and views expressed here are the responsibility of the author(s) only. The EU Commission takes no responsibility for any use made of the information set out.
