The European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT), in collaboration with Therakos, has published a new report examining the current status, clinical potential, and future directions of Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP) in solid organ transplantation.
Allograft rejection remains a major cause of long-term graft failure and patient morbidity following transplantation. While conventional immunosuppressive therapies have significantly improved short-term outcomes, they are associated with substantial adverse effects, including infection, malignancy, and organ toxicity. The report highlights the need for safer, more targeted approaches to immune regulation.
Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP) is an established immunomodulatory therapy offering targeted immune regulation rather than generalised immunosuppression. It is currently recommended as an adjunctive therapy in heart and lung transplantation and is increasingly being explored in kidney and liver transplantation.
The report outlines:
- The current clinical indications for ECP across organ types
- Evidence gaps and the need for high-quality randomised controlled trials
- Variability in protocols and the importance of standardisation
- Barriers related to awareness, cost, and access
- Strategic actions to advance research, education, and equitable implementation
Over a three-year educational collaboration, ESOT and Therakos implemented initiatives including international webinars, workshops, an online evidence repository, research awards, and survey-based research to address knowledge gaps and promote interdisciplinary exchange.
“Targeted immune modulation represents an important direction for transplantation medicine,” the report notes. “Coordinated collaboration between clinicians, researchers, industry, and policymakers is essential to harmonise protocols, generate robust evidence, and ensure equitable access for patients.”
The partnership between ESOT and Therakos demonstrates how strategic collaborations between biomedical societies and industry can support education, stimulateresearch and accelerate progress in transplantation.
The full report is available here.