Today, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) announced a new Kidney Innovation Accelerator (KidneyX) award competition aimed at furthering the development of a fully functional bioartificial kidney.
Phase 2 of the Artificial Kidney Prize competition invites applications focused on the development of a bioartificial kidney prototype or a new tool or component that can aid in the development of bioartificial kidneys. Innovators in the fields of regenerative medicine, cell engineering, tissue engineering, systems biology and synthetic biology are strongly encouraged to apply.
The 850 million people worldwide living with kidney disease include 37 million Americans. In the United States alone, treatment costs more than $100 billion a year. Every day, 13 people die while waiting for a kidney transplant, while those on dialysis face a 50 percent mortality rate during the first five years of treatment. Communities of color are disproportionately affected with increased incidence, fewer organs available for transplant, and poorer outcomes overall.
Innovation is urgently needed. Through this award competition, KidneyX is seeking to advance a field that has seen little progress in more than 60 years. The best treatment is a kidney transplant, but the supply of organs only addresses a small fraction of the need.
Assistant Secretary of Health ADM Rachel L. Levine notes, “We hope that KidneyX’s Phase 2 focus on integrating and advancing artificial kidney prototypes will result in discoveries that ensure a healthier future by reducing health disparities.”
Developing a fully functional bioartificial kidney has been difficult in the past due to the overall complexity of the organ, which consists of a multitude of cell types and performs several important functions.
A successful bioartificial kidney must be able to perform at least some of the most vital kidney functions, such as blood filtration, electrolyte homeostasis, fluid regulation, toxin removal and excretion, and excess filtrate transport and drainage. . However, given the substantial scientific advances that can complement kidney health, such as lifestyle and nutritional adjustments, pharmaceuticals, and other interventions that can slow the progression of kidney disease or mitigate kidney failure, a The bioartificial kidney may not need to replicate the completeness of the cells and tissue complexity of the human kidney.
To encourage revolutionary designs, Stage 2 of the Artificial Kidney Award consists of two tracks.
- Track One, “Accelerating a Bioartificial Kidney Prototype,” is open to applications from innovators with development plans for a bioartificial kidney prototype, including a future pathway and timeline to first-in-human studies.
- The second part, “Components and tools enabling the development of an artificial kidney”, is open to proposals for tools or compounds that adapt regenerative medicine, cell engineering, tissue engineering, systems biology and/or synthetic biology methods to addressed a challenge currently facing the development of a fully functional artificial kidney.
Previous KidneyX prize winners, as well as any other entrants who meet the eligibility requirements, are invited to enter Phase 2 of this prize competition.
Artificial kidneys can be wearable or implantable options for renal replacement therapy; xenotransplantation, including chimera, or another non-human organ platform may also be considered.
The components and tools solve a specific challenge for the development of xenotransplantation, bioartificial, biomechanical and/or other implantable or wearable platforms for renal replacement therapy. Examples include tools or components that optimize the efficiency and scalability of regenerative medicine, cell and tissue engineering, systems biology, and/or synthetic biology methodology to enable the development of an artificial kidney platform, such as artificial intelligence applications, learning machinery, gene editing, and gene circuits.
“Thanks to the public-private partnership behind KidneyX, innovators have a unique opportunity to create next-generation solutions to help the 850 million people worldwide living with kidney disease,” said John Sedor, MD, FASN, Committee Chair Leads of KidneyX. “This competition specifically focuses on using regenerative medicine and artificial biology methods to advance the development of bioartificial kidney prototypes or to create enabling tools that overcome barriers that slow innovation. We believe this competition will generate exciting approaches that will accelerate new kidney replacement therapies and improve the lives of people with kidney disease.”
The submission period for both parts of Phase 2 opens today, with Track One closing on 28 October 2022 and Track Two closing on 28 January 2023. Track Two applicants are encouraged to use the extra time to seek guidance or collaborate with experts in the kidney field to improve their applications.
Up to $10.5 million in funding will be awarded to up to nine (9) award winners, including up to three (3) winners from Track One each receiving $1.5 million and up to six (6) winners from Track Two each receiving received 1 million dollars.
For complete rules and eligibility requirements, as well as a list of resources available to applicants, visit kindx.org/akp.
About the US Department of Health and Human Services
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) promotes and protects the health and well-being of all Americans. HHS fulfills that mission by providing effective health and human services and by promoting advances in medicine, public health, and social services. For more information visit HHS.gov.
About the American Society of Nephrology
Since 1966, ASN has led the fight to prevent, treat, and cure kidney disease worldwide by educating health professionals and scientists, advancing research and innovation, communicating new knowledge, and advocating for the highest quality patient care. ASN has around 20,000 members representing 132 countries. For more information, please visit asn-online.org and follow us on Facebook, I tweetLinkedIn and Instagram.
