Recruiting
Phase 3

Preemptive Therapy & Antiviral Prophylaxis

Sponsor:

UCLA

Code:

NCT06798909

Conditions

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

Kidney Transplant; Complications

Kidney Diseases

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Valganciclovir (Pre-emptive CMV Therapy)

Valganciclovir CMV Prophylaxis

Study Details

Brief summary:

This is a prospective, randomized multicenter trial of preemptive therapy (PET) vs. antiviral prophylaxis (AP) for prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in adult D+R- kidney transplant recipients (KTR). Patients meeting study eligibility criteria and who have provided informed consent will be randomized (1:1) within 7 days of transplant to receive, in an open label design, either AP with valganciclovir 900 mg orally once daily or letermovir 480 mg orally once daily \[both dose adjusted per Food and Drug Administration (FDA) label\] for 200 days post-transplant), or PET (central lab weekly plasma polymerase chain reaction (PCR) monitoring for CMV deoxyribonucleic acidemia (DNAemia)) for 100 days post-transplant, with oral valganciclovir 900mg orally twice daily (or renally dosed per FDA label) at onset of CMV DNAemia at any level and continued until plasma CMV DNAemia is negative or below the level of quantitation in two consecutive weekly plasma samples. Study participants will be followed for pre-specified outcomes (clinical, laboratory, immunologic, safety) until withdrawal, death, or study closure, up to a maximum of 5.5 years post-transplant. Approximately 360 participants (180 participants in each group) will be randomized into the study.

Estimated Time to Complete Enrollment: 4 years

Conditions

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

Kidney Transplant; Complications

Kidney Diseases

Study ID

NCT06798909

Start date

Jul 22, 2025

Status verified date

Mar, 2026

Completion date

May 31, 2031

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Nov 30, 2030

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Subject or legally authorized representative has provided written informed consent.
2. Age ≥ 18 years of age at the time of informed consent.
3. Negative for IgG antibody to CMV as assessed in a CLIA-certified laboratory between 28 days prior to transplant and up to 7 days post-transplant but prior to randomization.
4. Received a kidney transplant from a CMV seropositive (IgG positive) donor in the past 7 days prior to enrollment
5. Individuals of reproductive (childbearing) potential must have a negative pregnancy test (serum or urine) collected prior to randomization (SOC results within 7 days prior to transplant may be used), and must also agree to use a medically approved method of contraception. Acceptable methods include: barrier method, intrauterine device (hormonal or non-hormonal), oral hormonal contraceptives, abstinence from the time of enrollment through until discontinuation of ganciclovir or valganciclovir in either arm during the intervention period.

NOTE: Individuals of reproductive potential are defined as individuals who have reached menarche and who have not been post-menopausal for at least 12 consecutive months with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) ≥40 IU/mL or 24 consecutive months if an FSH is not available, i.e., who have had menses within the preceding 24 months, and have not undergone a sterilization procedure (e.g., hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, or salpingectomy).
6. If male, must agree to practice a barrier method of contraception or abstinence from the time of enrollment through 3 months after discontinuation of ganciclovir or valganciclovir in either arm during the intervention period.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. In the opinion of the investigator, participants who are unable or unwilling to undergo preemptive therapy protocol (weekly CMV PCR, etc.)
2. Patients who are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed within 6 months post-transplant
3. Allergy to valganciclovir/ganciclovir or Letermovir
4. Receipt of immunoglobulin or CMV-specific immunoglobulin within the last 3 months (this includes COVID convalescent plasma)
5. Currently enrolled or anticipated enrollment in another interventional study that, in the opinion of scientific leadership team, could affect evaluation of the primary safety and/or efficacy outcomes.
6. Most recent platelet count post-transplant <25,000/uL
7. Most recent ANC performed post-transplant <1000/uL
8. Multi-organ transplant (except simultaneous kidney-pancreas) within the past 7 days
9. Prior or planned receipt of a hematopoietic cell transplant
10. Baseline immunodeficiency prior to transplant, including but not limited to:

1. Known or suspected HIV infection
2. Congenital or acquired immunodeficiency
11. Unacceptable immunosuppression

1. Receipt of desensitization therapy prior to kidney transplant, or
2. Receipt of an ABO-incompatible kidney transplant except A2 to blood type B

Study Design

Enrollment

360 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Prevention

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Pre-emptive Therapy

900 mg of Valganciclovir given orally twice daily to Preemptive Therapy subjects upon detection of CMV viremia until plasma PCR is negative on two consecutive weekly PCR test. All dosages adjusted for renal dysfunction.

active comparator: Prophylaxis

900 mg of Valganciclovir given orally once daily to subjects for 200 days post transplantation. All dosages adjusted for renal dysfunction.

Interventions

Valganciclovir (Pre-emptive CMV Therapy)

Valganciclovir, 900 mg given orally twice daily to Preemptive Therapy group subjects as a PET only after a positive CMV PCR test and stopped after PCR is negative for 2 consecutive weeks.

Valganciclovir CMV Prophylaxis

Valganciclovir, 900 mg given orally once daily to all Prophylaxis group subjects for 200 days post transplantation as prophylaxis.

Primary outcome measure

  • Incidence of endpoint committee (EC)-confirmed CMV disease (either syndrome or end-organ) by 1-year post-transplant. [ Time Frame: Within 1-year post-transplant ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Locations

University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine

Recruiting

San Francisco, California, United States, 94117

Contacts

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Recruiting

Miami, Florida, United States, 33136

Contacts

Emory University School of Medicine

Recruiting

Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30322

Contacts

Robert Wood Johnson Health Network Barnabas Health

Recruiting

Livingston, New Jersey, United States, 07039

Contacts

Medical College of Virginia Commonwealth

Recruiting

Richmond, Virginia, United States, 23219

Contacts

More Information

Sponsor

University of California, San Francisco

Last update posted

Apr 1, 2026

Last verified

Mar, 2026

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of California, San Francisco on 2026-04-01.