Excellent efficacy and beneficial safety during observational 5-year follow-up of rapid steroid withdrawal after renal transplantation (Harmony FU study).

"CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT The following authors of this manuscript have conflicts of interest do disclose as described by the American Journal of Transplantation: C.H. received grant support, consulting fees and lecture fees from Astellas, Sanofi, Genzyme, Roche Pharma, Novartis and Wyeth/Pfizer. C.K. received consulting fees and lecture fees from Astellas, Chiesi, Novartis and Sanofi-Genzyme. J.W.-M. received grant support, consulting fees and lecture fees from Vifor, GSK, Novartis, AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim. O.W. has received research grants for clinical studies, speaker's fees, honoraria and travel expenses from Amgen, Alexion, Astellas, Basilea, Biotest, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Correvio, Chiesi, Gilead, Hexal, Janssen, Dr F. Köhler Chemie, MSD, Novartis, Roche, Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda, TEVA and UCB. B.B. received grant support, consulting fees and lecture fees from Astellas, Bayer, Chiesi and Novartis. J.S. received lecture fees from Astellas, Boehringer-Ingelheim and Fresenius Medical Care. All other authors of this manuscript have no conflicts of interest to be disclosed."

"FUNDING The Harmony FU trial had been financially supported by Astellas and Sanofi."

"Trial registration: Clinical trial registration number: Investigator Initiated Trial (NCT 00724022, FU study DRKS00005786)"