In early April 2017, we brought you the amazing news of a bioartificial kidney being developed by UCSF researcher Dr. Shuvo Roy, Doctor William Fissel, and team. The implantable artificial kidney, just the size of a coffee cup filters out toxins from the blood and provides all of the functions of a healthy kidney. It also processes blood 24 hours a day. At the time of concept and engineering, it was in research stage. Much has happened since then where the project that hopes to see clinical trials by early 2018. Read on to be informed about the latest updates of the artificial kidney project.
The implantable bioartificial kidney is no bigger than a coffee cup. Once surgery establishes a connection, the device will start processing blood continuously 24 hours that eliminates the inconvenience of dialysis. No batteries or pumps are required; the device works with the body’s own blood pressure pushing blood through the device just like a natural kidney. This is what it will do:
Image Source: www.ucsf.edu
The Bioartificial kidney being developed at the University of California San Francisco is facing the biggest challenge of funding. We even brought you a story of its project coordinator Stephanie Brummet who left to go hiking along the grueling Appalachian Trail in order to collect funds. Currently, pre clinical studies are underway to build prototypes for the first stage of human trials expected in early 2018. On September 11th, the kidney project of UCSF posted on its Facebook page that preclinical testing for the hemofilter is underway and preclinical testing for the bioreactor has just begun. The results being received from the hemofilter were encouraging where it had been implanted into large animal models for 1 month. The responses were positive and no serious implications were observed. Enough data has been collected to start clinical testing of the device and convince investors about the benefits of the device as displayed by the research. The challenges centered on the device will not be clear until clinical trials get underway. The research team is now studying ways and means to increase the lifetime of cells and eliminate blood clotting. It is the current preclinical studies that will yield this data in the coming month but researchers are hopeful for a positive outcome.
Image Source: www.kidneyfund.org
The bioartificial kidney works with two components a hemofilter and a cell bioreactor. The hemofilter using nanotechnology produces a highly efficient compact membrane that filters using the body’s blood pressure instead of pumps for power supply. The hemofilter will work in the same way as the natural kidney filtration process without even spoiling. The cell bioreactor will feature tissue engineering to grow and maintain renal tubule cells. It will be capable of high high-volume salt and water reabsorption from the ultrafiltrate while maintaining a barrier to reabsorption of toxins. It will also be capable of regulating blood pressure and production of Vitamin D. So in layman terms, you will be getting a device implanted into your body that acts like a perfectly natural kidney.
Image Source: www.mercurynews.com
The kidney project is currently accepting forms from volunteers for clinical trials in 2018. There is no wait list period and according to the official site of the UCSF, clinical trials are subject to complete funding of the project. The recruitment process will begin after approval of the Institutional review board where all those who have signed up will be informed of the progress. Moreover, the recruitment process will depend on selection by a panel of doctors engaged in the process. The selection process will be a nonbiased one and decided by the medical team where no Kidney project staff will be involved to influence the same.