Wearable Dialysis: Toward a 2-Pound Artificial KidneyFri Oct 23, 2009 10:27am EDT
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AWAK Technologies, Inc. is
unveiling its peritoneal dialysis-based wearable artificial kidney, envisioned
to weigh 2 pounds, during its debut presentation at the American Society of
Nephrology (ASN) - Renal Week, held at the San Diego Convention Center from
29-31st October 2009.
Currently, AWAK (Automated Wearable Artificial Kidney) is a 6-pound
battery-operated prototype designed to provide 24/7 continuous dialysis.
However, through continuous developmental effort, AWAK is working toward a
weight of merely 2 pounds. This technological breakthrough is based on original
joint research with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the
Department of Veterans Affairs, USA.
"It is truly a disruptive innovation that will change the landscape of the
dialysis industry," said Dr. Gordon Ku, Chairman of AWAK Technologies. "Besides
improving the quality of life for patients, the paradigm changes from
'facilities-based dialysis' to 'personal-based dialysis,' this is vital in
lowering the cost of the national healthcare system. More importantly, it
contributes to the economy by allowing patients to be economically productive."
"Freedom is the keyword," commented Dr. Martin Roberts, Chief Scientist &
Inventor. "AWAK returns the lifestyles back to the patients: to work, to travel
and to play. Patients are now freed from dialytic regimes, freed from stringent
dietary and fluid constraints, and freed from being bounded to a geographical
locality."
Dr. David B. N. Lee, Chief Scientist and inventor, said, "Based on the technique
of peritoneal dialysis (PD) and sorbent-based regeneration of used dialysate in
perpetuity, AWAK is both 'bloodless' and 'waterless.' Round-the-clock dialysis
and ultra-filtration represents the ultimate form of 'frequent dialysis' and is
expected to provide steady-state metabolic and fluid regulation. Because both
the aqueous and the protein components of the used dialysate are regenerated and
recycled, AWAK produces a novel protein-containing dialysate that is expected to
reduce or eliminate protein-loss, with the additional possibility of removing
protein-bound toxins."
The first prototype is designed to provide a net dialysate exchange rate of 4 L
per hour. Based on a recent completed study on 8 patients using tidal peritoneal
dialysis (reserve volume 500 ml, tidal volume 250 ml), this flow rate will
translate into a weekly Kt/V of 4, a 100% increase over that used in current
practice. AWAK will also incorporate a number of components focused on reducing
infectious complications. The device is in the process of procuring FDA
certification and is planned for clinical trials in the United States and
Singapore in 2010.
About AWAK Technologies
AWAK Technologies was incorporated in April 2007 with the mission of Saving,
Sustaining & Enhancing Lives of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients. AWAK,
The Wearable Dialysis Company dedicated to the development of wearable
artificial kidneys, was founded by Dr. Gordon Ku (Chairman of Kidney Dialysis
Foundation), Dr. David B. N. Lee and Dr. Martin Roberts (both of the United
States Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System and David Geffen School
of Medicine at UCLA), and Mr. Neo Kok Beng. Dr. David B. N. Lee and Dr. Martin
Roberts are also inventors of the licensed technologies and serve as Chief
Scientists in the Company.
The AWAK Technologies, Inc. logo is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6752-0-
CONTACT: AWAK Technologies, Inc.
Media Contact:
Clarissa Khoo
clarissa@awak.com
www.awak.comhttp://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS152005%2B23-Oct-2009%2BGNW20091023
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