Curion Research Corp Chosen as a Winner of KidneyX Award Presented by US Dept of Health and Human Services and the American Society of Nephrology

USA - English

• USA - English

ROSEVILLE, Calif., May 1, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Curion Research Corporation is chosen as an award winner of the KidneyX Redesign Dialysis contest based on its novel "waterless feedback/sensor controlled blood purifying device technology", a first in the industry. The contest was sponsored by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in partnetship with the American Society of Nephrology (ASN). 15 companies were awarded from 165 entries.

(Prior to the Award Curion changed its name to US Kidney Research Corporation.)

Dr. Ira Kurtz, Chief of Nephrology at the University of California (UCLA), is Curion's Chief Medical Advisor and a Board Member. He worked closely with Dr. Jamie Hestekin, the Head of Research at Akansas University and his team of researchers to bring the novel technology into existence.

About the technology Dr. Ira Kurtz said, "Our technology was motivated by the following considerations."

• The desire to develop a technology (standalone, wearable or implantable format) that for the first time did not require the use of an external dialysate solution to drive the passive flux of ions and water across a semipermeable membrane.
• Secondly, to have the capability of adjusting the transport of ions and water under feedback/sensor control to prevent the changes in blood chemistry that result from alterations in dietary food and fluid intake.
• Thirdly, a dialysate and cell-free technology that could potentially function continuously either in an external or implantable format would more closely mimic the native kidney.

He further stated, "Here we introduce a novel technological advance in the field of renal replacement therapy that allows for the first time, the two key functional properties of the kidney i.e. filtration of blood and specific transport of ions and water to be simulated by a device that does not utilize biological-based components or a dialysate. Importantly, the components that mediate the transport of ions do not rely on the presence of chemical gradients and passive diffusion to function per se. Accordingly, dialysate solutions currently used in HD and PD are not required. Moreover, sorbent systems being developed to regenerate dialysate solutions are also not needed.

Although the technology borrows certain functional principles from the physiology of the kidney, the device does not use living cells but rather completely synthetic engineered components. Our innovative approach combines new multiple mesh electrodeionization technology with pressure driven ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis modules. Each of the components performs unique functions that can be thought of as simulating key aspects of the native kidney's filtration and transport functions."

Roland Ludlow, founder and CEO of Curion Research Corporation said, "Our waterless blood purifying device will have significant advantages over current dialysis machines. It will be extremely user friendly, cost effective, and its computerized feedback/sensor system will allow more precise treatments with the promise of better patient outcomes."

The company expects to begin animal testing of its prototype this summer.

About Curion Research Corporation: The Company began operations in June, 2015. Their sole purpose is research and development of a truly artificial kidney.

SOURCE Curion Research Corporation