[Mycophenolate mofetil, a possible new immunosuppresant].

The mycophenolate mofetil, a prodrug of mycophenolic acid, is a new immunosuppressive drug with a specific mechanism of action consisting in the inhibition of T- and B-lymphocytes proliferation. A series of animal experiments showed efficiency of the mycophenolate mofetil administered in monotherapy or in combination with other immunosuppressants to prolong the survival of different allo- and xenotransplanted grafts. In clinical trials, the mycophenolate mofetil, cyclosporine, and steroids demonstrated high efficacy in the prevention of acute rejection in the solid allotransplanted organs. The mycophenolate mofetil seems to be a suitable candidate for the treatment of many other, e.g., autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.