NKF's Innovation Fund Invests in Diatiro to Advance Kidney Health
~Collaboration aims to transform kidney transplantation and enhance health equity~
(September 21, 2023, New York, NY) – The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is proud to announce its latest investment through the NKF Innovation Fund, which is aimed at fostering innovation and advancing kidney health. NKF has chosen to invest in Diatiro, a pioneering medical technology company, to further the development and deployment of their innovative Kidney Pod technology.
Diatiro's groundbreaking Kidney Pod technology promises to advance kidney transplantation, addressing the critical challenge of 'warming injury' during the transplant procedure. The Kidney Pod uses a unique combination of advanced materials to maintain organs at cold temperatures throughout the transplant procedure. This innovation aims to increase the number of viable donor kidneys, improve transplant outcomes, and pave the way for enabling robotic transplantation. Diatiro was granted breakthrough designation by the FDA last year, allowing for an expedited development of the Kidney Pod.
"We are honored to have the National Kidney Foundation's support as we work to make a tangible difference in the field of transplantation," said Dr. Keith Hansen, Founder and CEO of Diatiro. "This investment will enable us to accelerate the development and deployment of our technology, ultimately improving the lives of countless individuals with kidney disease."
Beyond its immediate impact on transplantation, the Kidney Pod holds promise in enhancing health equity. By increasing the pool of viable donor organs and improving transplant outcomes, the device can ensure that patients, irrespective of their socio-economic status, benefit from advancements in kidney health.
"The potential of Diatiro’s Kidney Pod is remarkable,” said Kevin Longino, CEO of the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient. “Technology like this is why we started our Innovation Fund, and we are fully committed to help bring this life-saving technology to market."
The NKF's Innovation Fund was established to drive advancements in kidney health and already has a track record of supporting innovative solutions that improve health equity and outcomes for kidney disease patients. Recent investments include partnerships with Klinrisk and Relavo to enhance health equity through the development of cutting-edge technology.
Launched in 2021, the NKF Innovation Fund works to accelerate funding, development, and commercialization of therapies that kidney patients need and deserve. The fund invests in early to mid-stage companies that are developing innovative, patient-centric kidney therapies. The long-term goals of the NKF Innovation fund are to prevent kidney disease, eliminate the transplant wait list, and provide better, safer treatments for dialysis patients so they can live fuller and more productive lives. For more information about the NKF Innovation Fund, visit kidney.org/innovationfund.
To learn more about kidney disease and how to maintain optimal kidney health, visit www.kidney.org/.
About Kidney Disease
In the United States, 37 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease—and approximately 90 percent don’t know they have it. About 1 in 3 American adults are at risk for chronic kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Asian, or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. African Americans are almost 4 times more likely than White Americans to have kidney failure. Hispanics are 1.3 times more likely than non-Hispanics to have kidney failure.
About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis and transplantation. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.
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