Peritransplant palifermin use and lymphocyte recovery after T-cell replete, matched related allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

A previously conducted randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study from 2000-2003 tested peri-transplant palifermin (KGF) in 100 recipients of T-replete matched related donor allogeneic hematopoietic transplant (MRD allo-HCT). The use of KGF in preclinical transplant models, including an autologous non-human primate model, has been associated with improved immune reconstitution. Therefore, we investigated whether palifermin treated patients (n = 69) had improved absolute lymphocyte counts (ALCs) at days 30, 60 and 100 after transplant compared to placebo treated patients (n = 31).