Induction and maintenance of tolerance to composite tissue allografts

摘要

The present invention provides a clinically-applicable approach for inducing long-term, donor-specific tolerance to donor antigens, especially in recipients of CTA and/or solid organ transplants, without the requirement for patient preconditioning, without the need for chronic immunosuppressive regimens, and without the occurrence of GVHD. In particular, a method is provided for inducing donor-specific tolerance in a semi-allogeneic or a fully-allogeneic transplant recipient by administering to the recipient a therapeutically effective amount of an immunosuppressive agent that depletes T cells and a therapeutically effective amount of anti- T cell receptor antibodies, and implanting an allograft into the recipient.