Transplant Virology

As a leading pharmaceutical company focused on innovation, Roche has launched several important products that have helped to spare countless patients from the life-threatening consequences of CMV.

Roche has been pioneering the fight against CMV since 1989 with the launch of CYTOVENE IV and later the oral formulation. In 1992 CYTOVENE IV was approved for use in transplantation. Additional innovation came with the approval of Valcyte in 2001, which offered the same ganciclovir bioavailability as CYTOVENE IV. In 2003, Valcyte was approved for use in transplantation. See the innovation timeline for the development of these compounds.

Roche is committed to achieving better outcomes for patients at risk for CMV by developing new advancements in CMV management strategies.

• Valcyte® (valganciclovir) is a prodrug of ganciclovir that was developed for the prevention of CMV disease in kidney, heart and kidney-pancreas transplant patients at high risk.
• CYTOVENE® (ganciclovir) was developed for the prevention and treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV), a dangerous viral infection associated with transplantation. While Cytovene capsules are no longer available from Roche, Cytovene IV remains available.