Patient among one of the first in UK to receive life‑changing kidney transplant drug
A patient at The Royal London Hospital has become among one of the first in the UK to receive an innovative new drug, Imlifidase, helping her to receive a kidney transplant after years of waiting.
Sangita Patel, from Chigwell Essex, received her transplant in March this year after spending seven years on dialysis. This was her second kidney transplant, making her case more complex and highlighting the significance of access to new treatments.
For patients like Sangita, who are very highly sensitised, meaning they have high levels of antibodies in their blood, finding a suitable donor can be extremely difficult. These antibodies, which are normally part of the body’s defence against infection, can attack a transplanted kidney and cause rejection.
Imlifidase works by temporarily breaking down these antibodies just before the transplant. This creates a short window in which a transplant can safely go ahead, even from a donor who would previously have been considered incompatible.
This means patients who may have had little or no chance of finding a match are now able to receive life‑saving transplants. Barts Health NHS Trust is one of the very few kidney transplant centres in the UK to offer this treatment to its patients.
Reflecting on the moment she was offered a transplant, Sangita said:
“When I got the call at 10pm at night, I couldn’t believe it - I thought I was hearing things. As soon as the doctor said she was calling from the Royal London, I knew what it was about. After waiting so long, it was a real shock.”
Sangita had been attending dialysis three times a week for over seven years, a treatment she describes as exhausting and restrictive.
“You’re there for four hours and you can’t move. It’s not nice, it’s very hard. If I hadn’t taken this opportunity, I might still be on dialysis now.”
She was offered Imlifidase as part of her transplant preparation, becoming one of the first patients in the country to receive the treatment.
The treatment, a series of injections, is given shortly before transplant and works quickly to lower antibody levels. However, because its effects are temporary, patients still require close monitoring and ongoing medication after surgery to prevent rejection and infection.
Now around nine weeks on from surgery, Sangita is continuing her recovery and is beginning to see improvements.
“I’m still recovering, but it’s getting better as time goes on. I’m hoping this will give me a new lease of life.”
She hopes her experience will encourage other patients facing similar decisions.
“You have to take a chance. Don’t overthink it - that’s when you start to worry. If you go ahead, you can have a better life, not being tied to a machine.”
Sangita remains under close follow-up from the Royal London hospital’s renal team following her second transplant. While recovery includes ongoing medication and regular monitoring, her outlook is positive and she is already making plans for the future.
“Maybe this time next year I’ll finally go on holiday. I’ve always wanted to go to the Maldives if I can convince my husband and son to come with me!”
Sangita’s consultant, Mr Muhammad Khurram, was part of the expert group who drafted the guidelines for use of Imlifidase in the UK. He shared:
“This is a significant milestone for our Trust and, most importantly, for patients who previously had very limited options for transplantation.
Imlifidase allows us to offer life‑changing kidney transplants to highly sensitised patients - including those requiring repeat transplants - who may otherwise spend many years on dialysis.
We are incredibly proud of our clinical, tissue typing and nursing teams for making it possible to deliver this treatment, and of patients like Sangita who place their trust in us and help pave the way for others to benefit in the future.”