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A portable and battery-powered dialysis system that operates without large volumes of purified water to improve accessibility to dialysis
About
Qidni Labs presents an extraordinary breakthrough in the field of dialysis, revolutionizing accessibility and sustainability for patients with kidney failure. Our novel filtration technology has paved the way for the development of the world's most accessible dialysis system, with the potential to save 10 million lives and 600 billion litres of drinking water every year. Traditional dialysis machines are stationary and cumbersome, weighing around 120kg, and require a large 120L of purified water per session that is derived from 500L of tap water, along with extensive water treatment systems. This standard of care has also only been designed to serve the 3.5 million patients who are currently on treatment, while over 10 million patients globally suffer without access due to limitations in resources and infrastructure. With Qidni Labs' system, we have removed the infrastructure necessary for dialysis, enabling easier access to life-saving treatment for patients with kidney failure, and allowing them to dialyze anywhere at anytime. We have succeeded in reducing the water requirement for dialysis down from 120L per session to a mere 2.5L per session via our disposable blood purification cartridges. The device is also fully portable, can complete a full treatment on battery-power and is connected to the cloud for remote monitoring of patients. The improved health outcomes and environmental benefits of this technology are achieved through a mechanism called dialysate regeneration, which uses a significantly smaller volume of dialysate in comparison to existing dialysis technology. The device operates principally via a replaceable and disposable sorbent cartridge composed of a bundle of hollow fibre membranes, which is embedded in a biocompatible sorbent material. This way, only 0.1% of the volume of water that is currently needed per session of dialysis is used in our device. To date, Qidni Labs' dialysis system has been successfully validated in two long-term animal studies involving sheep with no kidney function. We have now begun recruitment for a pilot clinical study that will test the technology in kidney failure patients to gather preliminary safety and efficacy data.
Key Benefits
Our dialysis system presents a distinctive value proposition by introducing genuine portability to the tabletop dialysis market. It not only enhances the accessibility and sustainability of treatment but extends its reach to regions of the world currently limited by technological constraints. By addressing these limitations, we can revolutionize dialysis provision where it was previously impossible. Additionally, Qidni Labs' system offers a more cost-effective alternative to other treatment options in the market. By eliminating the need for dialysis infrastructure, we ensure that treatment is accessible to all patients at an affordable price. Our device also has a substantial impact on water conservation. By replacing current dialysis machines with Qidni Labs' technology, we can save billions of litres of water every year. Each patient who receives thrice-weekly, in-centre hemodialysis (the industry standard), uses 78,000L of water per year for treatment. For every dialysis patient that would switch to our technology, we would be able to conserve over 2.5x the volume of water per treatment that the average Canadian home uses per day (335L). Furthermore, the disposable cartridges contain sorbent material that can be tailored to meet each patient's specific condition. This customization holds great promise in improving patient outcomes, leading to enhanced overall health, reduced hospitalizations, and an overall increase in quality of life.
Applications
Qidni Labs' technology serves as a versatile platform capable of selectively absorbing targeted solutes and molecules from whole blood. While its primary application lies in dialysis, this innovation extends its potential to encompass a range of other vital areas such as sepsis and overdose treatment. In these applications, the technology can specifically target and remove biomarkers associated with these conditions.