Winning Entry Seeks to Rid Blood of Difficult to Remove Protein-Bound Toxins
WALTHAM, Mass. Ģý April 30, 2019ĢýRenal Research Institute (RRI), a division of Ģý North America (FMCNA), announced that its novel concept for Ģýdisplacer-enhanced dialysisĢý has been selected as a winner of the KidneyX Redesign Dialysis competition. The proposal aims to develop a new displacer substance that can rid the blood of protein-bound uremic toxins that are notoriously difficult to remove by hemodialysis and negatively impact patient health.
ĢýIn the past decade there has been far too little progress in our ability to remove these toxins during hemodialysis,Ģý said Dr. Peter Kotanko, Research Director at RRI. ĢýWe are excited to be recognized for our research and this new effort to find a practical solution that would help improve the quality of life for patients requiring life-sustaining hemodialysis treatment.Ģý
(KidneyX) is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Society of Nephrology to accelerate innovation in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases. RRI is one of 15 winners for this first phase of the Redesign Dialysis competition.
ĢýThis competition is a new opportunity to advance innovations that will hopefully improve outcomes for all patients with renal disease,Ģý said Dr. Robert Kossmann, Chief Medical Officer at Ģý North America. ĢýThis award to the RRI team further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to turning research into practical solutions and new technologies.Ģý
As described in, higher levels of protein-bound uremic toxins are associated with poorer outcomes in chronic kidney disease. These toxins are bound to a protein called albumin which is too large to be removed with conventional hemodialysis. Through Ģýdisplacer-enhanced dialysis,Ģý a displacer substance is infused into the dialysis machineĢýs blood tubing upstream of the artificial kidney, outside of the patientĢýs body. This displacer binds to the same binding sites on albumin as the toxins, displaces them from the albumin molecule and allows them to be easily removed in the artificial kidney.
While laboratory experiments and a recent patient study published in theconfirmed this effect, current proof of concept displacers are not suitable for longer-term use. The goal of RRIĢýs winning proposal is to advance the search for ideal displacer substances that can be used routinely in chronic hemodialysis and study the effects of longer-term use of those displacers.
In March, theto FMCNAĢýs computer-assisted ultrafiltration control software in development to improve fluid management during hemodialysis. The software will be designed to work with newer Ģý hemodialysis machines using the CLiC™ device.
Ģý Renal Research Institute
, a division of Ģý North America, achieves its mission to improve the outcomes of patients with kidney disease through research and innovation. RRIĢýs highly developed and specialized expertise in computational biomedicine, exploratory clinical and biomedical research and data analytics underscore the InstituteĢýs track record of thinking outside the box and identifying high-value areas. Through alliance and collaboration agreements, RRI has forged strategic research relationships with leading universities in the Americas, Asia, and Europe, fostering RRIĢýs position at the forefront of research activities in the field of dialysis and nephrology.
Ģý Ģý North America
Ģý North America (FMCNA) is the premier healthcare company focused on providing the highest quality care to people with renal and other chronic conditions. Through its industry-leading network of dialysis facilities, outpatient cardiac and vascular labs and urgent care centers, Ģý North America provides coordinated healthcare services at pivotal care points for hundreds of thousands of chronically ill customers throughout the continent. As the worldĢýs largest fully integrated renal company, it offers specialty pharmacy and laboratory services, and manufactures and distributes the most comprehensive line of dialysis equipment, disposable products and renal pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit the FMCNA website at.
