Home Dialysis System

End-Stage Kidney Disease is when a person's kidneys fail. Their treatment options are either a kidney transplant or an intervention called dialysis.

Research on the global burden of kidney disease, published in The Lancet, carries grim tidings. Medical researchers at The George Institute for Global Health have calculated that up to 10 million people in the world need dialysis right now for end-stage kidney disease, but only around 2.5 million have access to it, mostly due to cost – the rest will unfortunately die. Additionally, the number of people requiring dialysis is set to rise though most of the increase will be in developing countries.

Dialysis is most often performed as hemodialysis using machines that filter the blood, replacing an essential function of the kidneys. These machines cost up to US$20,000 or more each, and are generally located in clinics with elaborate water purification systems and medical staff. The world needs a more affordable solution that can be accessed by more people.

Our innovation aims to increase access to dialysis through a simpler system called Peritoneal Dialysis - a technique which flushes a fluid of sugars and salts dissolved in water through the a space in the abdomen called the peritoneal cavity. Whilst peritoneal dialysis already exists, it relies on expensive pre-filled bags of fluid that are transported long distances from factories to patients' homes. Our system will enable dialysis fluid to be made by the patient at the point of care using tap water.