Educational Course on a Multidisciplinary Deep Dive Into IS Sparing Options Across Organ

The Goal

To equip advanced ECP users with a comprehensive understanding of ECP use in HTx and LuTx rejection, emphasising the clinical importance of immunosuppression (IS) sparing across solid organ transplantation, and to critically examine the key challenges in balancing rejection control, infection risk, and graft survival.

Agenda

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Day 1 - 26 October 2026

09:30
Registration

10:00 – 10:15
Welcome - Therakos Healthcare Stakeholder Engagement Department

10:15 – 10:30
Introduction - Prof Luciano Potena

10:30 – 11:10
ECP proposed Mechanism of Action & Organ Specific Considerations - Prof James Hutchinson

• Mechanistic basis of IS sparing strategies

• Overview of main immunosuppressive classes & how sparing affects pathways

• Organ-specific implications

11:10 – 11:50
IS Sparing in Lung Transplantation (LuTx): Infection-Focused Strategy - Prof Federica Meloni

• Rationale for IS minimization in LuTx

• Infection risk

• Maintenance phase considerations

11:50 – 12:30
Interactive discussion - Questions from the audience

12:30 – 13:30
Lunch

13:30 – 14:05
IS Sparing in Heart Transplantation (HTx): Integrating TTV & Self-DNA - Prof Andreas Zuckermann

• Tailored IS sparing

• TTV as an IS biomarker

• Integrating cfDNA (Self-DNA & Donor-DNA)

• Clinical applications

14:05 – 14:40
Managing Infection and BKV in HTx under IS reduction - Prof Markus Barten

• Burden of viral complications in heart transplantation

• BKV in non-renal SOT — incidence, detection, and management

• Balancing IS reduction vs graft protection

• Infection landscapes under sparing regimens

14:40 – 15:05
Interactive discussion

15:05 – 15:20
Coffee break

15:20 – 16:00
Cross-Organ Integration: Panel discussion - Faculty

• Complex cases involving infection, rejection, and IS reduction

• Best-practice recommendations

16:00 – 16:15
Final remarks & close - Prof Luciano Potena

BKV: BK Virus, ECP: Extracorporeal Photopheresis, DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid, HTx: Heart Transplantation, IS: Immunosuppression, LuTx: Lung Transplantation, SOT: Solid Organ Transplantation, TTV: Torque Teno Virus

For this course, participants are required to submit one patient case for discussion 15 days in advance of the session.

All speakers are subject to contract.
This is a commercial programme run by Therakos (UK) Ltd
This information is not intended for healthcare professionals based in Europe and the Middle East.

Our Centres of Excellence (CoE) Programme is for customers only. If you are interested in attending our CoE courses please contact your Sales Representative.

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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR THE THERAKOS™ PHOTOPHERESIS PROCEDURE

Indications

The THERAKOS™ CELLEX™ Photopheresis System is indicated for patients older than 18 years of age for the administration of photopheresis in the following:

Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma (CTCL)
Solid Organ Transplant Rejection (SOT) (heart, lung)

The THERAKOS™ CELLEX™ Photopheresis System is indicated in patients older than 3 years of age for the management of:

Acute and Chronic Graft versus Host Disease (aGvHD, cGvHD)

Contraindications

THERAKOS^TM Photopheresis is contraindicated in:

Patients possessing a specific history of a light sensitive disease
Patients who cannot tolerate extracorporeal volume loss or who have white blood cell counts greater than 25,000 / mm³
Patients who have coagulation disorders or who have previously had a splenectomy

Warnings and Precautions

THERAKOS^TMPhotopheresis treatments should always be performed in locations where standard medical emergency equipment is available. Volume replacement fluids and/or volume expanders should be readily available throughout the procedure.

Do not expose the device to a magnetic resonance (MR) environment. The device may present a risk of projectile injury, and thermal injury and burns may occur. The device may generate artifacts in the MR image, or may not function properly.
Thromboembolic events, including pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, have been reported in the treatment of Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD). Special attention to adequate anticoagulation is advised when treating patients with GvHD.
When prescribing and administering THERAKOS Photopheresis for patients receiving concomitant therapy, exercise caution when changing treatment schedules to avoid increased disease activity that may be caused by abrupt withdrawal of previous therapy.

Adverse Events

Hypotension may occur during any treatment involving extracorporeal circulation. Closely monitor the patient during the entire treatment for hypotension.
Transient pyretic reactions, 37.7–38.9°C (100–102°F), have been observed in some patients within six to eight hours of reinfusion of the photoactivated leukocyte-enriched blood. A temporary increase in erythroderma may accompany the pyretic reaction.
Treatment frequency exceeding labelling recommendations may result in anaemia.
Venous access carries a small risk of infection and pain.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR METHOXSALEN USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THERAKOS^TM PHOTOPHERESIS

Consult the 8-methoxypsoralen (Methoxsalen (20 micrograms / mL)) professional leaflet or the oral 8-methoxypsoralen formulation package insert before prescribing or dispensing any medication.