An implantable hemodialyzer for treatment of End-Stage Renal Disease

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) affects just over 600,000 people in the United States and costs Medicare ~ 33 billion annually. In-center thrice-weekly hemodialysis is the most commonly performed treatment for ESRD, butit suffers from poor 5-year survival rates, reduced patient quality of life, and is costly. In contrast, daily-extended hemodialysis has demonstrated 5-year survival rates similar to kidney transplant and has improved intermediate outcomes. Even though daily-extended hemodialysis yields superior outcomes than in- center thrice-weekly hemodialysis, it is performed by less than 1% of the ESRD population because it is too costly to perform in-center and too complex to perform at home. Current home hemodialysissystems require patients and caregivers to perform complicated tasks associated with life threatening risks, such as self-care needle sticks. The superior outcomes but low adoption rate of daily-extended home hemodialysis creates an opportunity for a simp