Mallinckrodt study shows ECP improves survival in therapy by 30% in lung transplant patients with BOS

Mallinckrodt’s retrospective study has shown the effectiveness of Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP), as an adjunct to local standard therapy, in lung transplant recipients with Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS).

The work of Dr. Christian Joukhadar, who led the study, addressed the use of ECP at the Medical University of Vienna as an empiric treatment option for lung transplant recipients suffering from BOS. The study tested hospital-related costs and the clinical value of ECP when applied as an adjunct to the local standard therapy of BOS compared to standard treatment alone, the company said, UVAR XTS was the ECP technology used in this study.

The retrospective study reveals that, compared to standard BOS-directed therapies alone, the addition of ECP significantly improves survival probability in double-lung transplant patients diagnosed with BOS. Over the observation period of up to 15.5 years, survival probability was improved by approximately 30% in the ECP-treated patients as compared to matched controls.

In addition, it was found the addition of ECP to standard therapy exerts a substantially positive impact on the number of total re-admissions to the hospital, the total days of care, and the total patient days, as compared to treatment with standard therapy alone. The study concludes “ECP has proved highly effective and cost saving in the treatment of lung transplant patients presenting with BOS.”

Steven Romano, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Mallinckrodt, said: “Mallinckrodt, a pioneer in the development and delivery of ECP immunomodulation, is pleased to see this study’s evidence of the clinical efficacy in lung transplant recipients with BOS, and the notable cost savings this therapy can provide for hospitals. We are proud to support efforts to evaluate ECP in this critical area of patient care.”