Skip to content
KidneyX Logo
wave gradient

Artificial Kidney Prize, Phase 1

Total prize amount:$3.9 Million

The KidneyX Artificial Kidney Prize is a competition to accelerate the development of artificial kidneys toward human clinical trials. Phase 1 of the Artificial Kidney Prize called for component or integrated prototype solutions that enable and advance the functionality, effectiveness, and/or reliability of artificial kidneys.

Goals

To accelerate the development of continuous kidney replacement therapies that provide transformational treatment options beyond current dialysis methods.

  • For this competition, artificial kidneys could be wearable, implantable, bioengineered, developed as a xenotransplant or chimera organ, or other approaches not yet conceived.
  • The competition aimed to bring these artificial kidney solutions toward human clinical trials with a greater level of maturity, functionality, and potential for patient impact than currently possible.
  • The Artificial Kidney Prize is intended to stimulate the market for further kidney health innovation, drawing greater participation and capital.

Projected Impact

Bring artificial kidney solutions closer to human clinical trials with a greater level of maturity, functionality, and potential for patient impact than currently possible

Winners

KidneyX Graphic
Genetically Engineered Pig Kidney XenotransplantationDavid K.C. Cooper; Massachusetts General HospitalGenetically engineered pig kidneys that will reduce rejection possibility while providing more viable donor kidneys
KidneyX Graphic
MI-TRAM: Smart Module for Implantable, Wearable, Portable, or Bedside Artificial KidneysFokko Wieringa; IMEC – NetherlandsMiniature, wireless toxin-removal system for implantable, wearable, portable, or bedside artificial kidneys
KidneyX Graphic
Xenotransplantation: A Treatment for Kidney FailureMatt Tector; Makana Therapeutics Genetically engineered pig kidneys that will increase the supply of transplantable organs by eliminating the antibody barrier to xenotransplantation
KidneyX Graphic
iBAK – Implantable Bio-Artificial Kidney for Continuous Renal Replacement TherapyShuvo Roy; The Kidney Project, UCSFImplantable bioartificial kidney that allows for continuous blood processing and direction of waste to the bladder while providing freedom of movement
KidneyX Graphic
The Wearable AKTIV: Artificial Kidney to Improve VitalityJonathan Himmelfarb; University of Washington Center for Dialysis Innovation (CDI)Wearable continuous-hemodialysis device that allows for greater freedom of movement
KidneyX Graphic
Development of a Dialysate-Free Waterless Portable and Implantable Artificial KidneyIra Kurtz; US Kidney Research CorporationWearable artificial kidney that does not need water to conduct filtration, drastically reducing the weight of the device

Additional Information