For preventing immune system from rejecting new organs, a new drug meant for kidney transplant may be more apt as compared to drugs like cyclosporine that already exists.

A study conducted on about 686 people show that Belatacept, which is a costimulation blocker, has proved more effective.

In a trial called BENEFIT, Belatacept Evaluation of Nephroprotection and Efficacy as First-line Immunosuppression Trial, people who were to receive kidney transplant from a standard criteria donor, were included. Those included were 18 years and more.

Those put under BENEFIT were then divided into three groups by Dr Flavio Vincenti of the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, and his team. These groups then got more or less intensive regimens of belatacept, or cyclosporine.

Total number of patients who received a transplant was 666. About 527 out of the total number of patients finished the initial treatment phase that was spanned for 12 months, with an even spread of discontinuation between the groups.

Vincenti said, "Although belatacept was associated with a higher early rejection rate than patients treated with cyclosporine, it was also associated with better kidney function and thus has the potential of extending the life of the renal graft. Of course, only time will tell how many patients may benefit from this new drug."

According to reports for repressing the immune system with lesser amount of toxicity, this will be a novel and more specific way.