Enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium containing GvHD prophylaxis reduces GvHD rate after allogeneic HSCT

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether cyclosporine A (CsA)-based Graft vs. Host Disease (GvHD) prophylaxis with enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS) instead of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) or methotrexate (MTX) reduces the GvHD incidence and lowers gastrointestinal (GI-) toxicities.

In a retrospective analysis of 102 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients, incidences of overall and severe aGvHD (>II°), cGvHD as well as overall and severe (CTC >II°) GI-toxicities were compared between GvHD prophylaxis containing EC-MPS vs. MMF or MTX (control group).

The overall aGvHD rate was significantly lower in the EC-MPS group compared to the control (47% vs. 72%, P = 0.022) with lower rates of severe aGvHD (10% vs. 25%, P = 0.088) and cGvHD (20% vs. 39%, P = 0.065). Prophylaxis with EC-MPS remained significantly associated with a lower aGvHD rate in a multiple logistic regression model. GI-toxicities did not differ between both groups except for severe abdominal pain for which the incidence was increased in the EC-MPS group (17% vs. 3%, P = 0.022).

This data support the hypothesis that replacement of MMF or MTX by EC-MPS reduces GvHD rates after HSCT. This appears not to be due to a reduced GI-toxicity of EC-MPS.