A Randomized Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Prograf vs Prograf-XL in de Novo Liver Transplant Recipients.

Inclusion criteria

• Patient has been fully informed and has signed an IRB approved informed consent form and is willing and able to follow study procedures
• Patient is a primary liver transplant recipient
• Patient must receive first dose of XL or Prograf (or IV tacrolimus for subjects unable to tolerate oral study drug) within 48 hours of transplantation
• Female patients of child bearing potential must have a negative urine or serum pregnancy test within 7 days prior to transplant

Exclusion criteria

• Patient has previously received or is receiving an organ transplant other than a liver
• Recipient or donor is known to be seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Patient has received a liver transplant from a non-heart beating donor
• Patient has received an ABO incompatible donor liver
• Patient has a current malignancy or a history of malignancy (within the past 5 years), except hepatocellular carcinoma within UCSF Criteria 21 and basal or non-metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of skin that has been treated successfully
• Patient has fulminant hepatic failure, unless hemodynamically stable
• Patient has an uncontrolled concomitant infection, a systemic infection requiring treatment (except viral hepatitis), or any other unstable medical condition that could interfere with the study objectives
• Patient has severe diarrhea, vomiting, active peptic ulcer or gastrointestinal disorder that may affect the absorption of tacrolimus
• Patient is currently taking or has been taking an investigational drug in the 30 days prior to transplant
• Patient has a known hypersensitivity to tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil or corticosteroids
• Patient is pregnant or lactating
• Patient is unlikely to comply with the visits scheduled in the protocol, including the protocol biopsies
• Patient has any form of substance abuse, psychiatric disorder or a condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, may invalidate communication with the investigator