ey and liver transplant patients with both formulations. Careful and frequent monitoring of tacrolimus trough levels is recommended in the first two weeks post-transplant with Advagraf to ensure adequate drug exposure in the immediate post-transplant period. As tacrolimus is a substance with low clearance, adjustments to the Advagraf dose regimen may take several days before steady state is achieved.
To suppress graft rejection, immunosuppression must be maintained; consequently, no limit to the duration of oral therapy can be given.
Prophylaxis of kidney transplant rejection
Advagraf therapy should commence at a dose of 0.20 - 0.30 mg/kg/day administered once daily in the morning. Administration should commence within 24 hours after the completion of surgery.
Advagraf doses are usually reduced in the post-transplant period. It is possible in some cases to withdraw concomitant immunosuppressive therapy, leading to Advagraf monotherapy. Post-transplant changes in the condition of the patient may alter the pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus and may necessitate further dose adjustments.
Prophylaxis of liver transplant rejection
Advagraf therapy should commence at a dose of 0.10 - 0.20 mg/kg/day administered once daily in the morning. Administration should commence approximately 12-18 hours after the completion of surgery.
Advagraf doses are usually reduced in the post-transplant period. It is possible in some cases to withdraw concomitant immunosuppressive therapy, leading to Advagraf monotherapy. Post-transplant improvement in the condition of the patient may alter the pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus and may necessitate further dose adjustments.
Conversion of Prograf-treated patients to Advagraf
Allograft transplant patients maintained on twice daily Prograf capsules dosing requiring conversion to once daily Advagraf should be converted on a 1:1 (mg:mg) total daily dose basis. Advagraf should be administered in the morning.
In stable patients converted from Prograf capsules (twice daily) to Advagraf (once daily) on a 1:1 (mg:mg) total daily dose basis, the systemic exposure to tacrolimus (AUC0-24) for Advagraf was approximately 10% lower than that for Prograf. The relationship between tacrolimus trough levels (C24) and systemic exposure (AUC0-24) for Advagraf is similar to that of Prograf. When converting from Prograf capsules to Advagraf, trough levels should be measured prior to conversion and within two weeks after conversion. Following conversion, tacrolimus trough levels should be monitored and if necessary dose adjustments made to maintain similar systemic exposure. Dose adjustments should be made to ensure that similar systemic exposure is maintained.
Conversion from ciclosporin to tacrolimus
Care should be taken when converting patients from ciclosporin-based to tacrolimus-based therapy (see sections 4.4 and 4.5). The combined administration of ciclosporin and tacrolimus is not recommended. Advagraf therapy should be initiated after considering ciclosporin blood concentrations and the clinical condition of the patient. Dosing should be delayed in the presence of elevated ciclosporin blood levels. In practice, tacrolimus-based therapy has been initiated 12 - 24 hours after discontinuation of ciclosporin. Monitoring of ciclosporin blood levels should be continued following conversion as the clearance of ciclosporin might be affected.
Treatment of allogra
