What are the main drugs used for maintenance therapy?
- 1. Calcineurin inhibitors (CNI): tacrolimus, cyclosporine
- 2. Anti-metabolites: azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and mycophenolic acid (MPA)
- 3. mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) inhibitors: rapamycin and everolimus
- 4. Corticosteroids
- 5. Selective co-stimulation blockade: belatacept
The most frequently used combination today is tacrolimus, anti-metabolite (MMF or MPA), and prednisone.
