AUTHOR=Mayer Katharina A. , Budde Klemens , Diebold Matthias , Halloran Philip F. , Böhmig Georg A. 

TITLE=Targeting CD38 in Antibody-Mediated Rejection

JOURNAL=Transplant International

VOLUME=Volume 38 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/journals/transplant-international/articles/10.3389/ti.2025.14343

DOI=10.3389/ti.2025.14343

ISSN=1432-2277

ABSTRACT=Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) remains a major challenge in clinical transplantation. Current therapies have yielded inconsistent outcomes, highlighting the need for innovative approaches. CD38, a multifunctional glycoprotein, is highly expressed on plasma cells and natural killer (NK) cells, potentially offering a dual mechanism of action that could intervene in the pathophysiologic course of AMR: depleting alloantibody-producing plasma cells and NK cells. This review focuses on recent results from CD38-targeted therapies, with felzartamab emerging as a promising option. Previous case reports and series suggested that off-label daratumumab treatment could effectively reverse AMR. Felzartamab has now demonstrated safety and efficacy in a phase 2 trial for late AMR. Reductions in microvascular inflammation, downregulation of rejection-associated transcripts, and decreases in donor-derived cell-free DNA paralleled a substantial decrease in NK cell counts. However, felzartamab did not significantly affect donor-specific antibodies, which may reflect its distinct mechanism of action, primarily involving antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and phagocytosis. The effects on rejection activity may have a rapid onset, but are transient. The potential benefits of prolonged therapy are currently being investigated in a recently launched phase III trial. Future studies may expand the applications of CD38 targeting to early AMR or broader indications, such as DSA-negative microvascular inflammation.