Impact and Innovation: The Biohybrid Kidney XB (Crossing Borders) project is set to transform kidney failure treatment by developing a biohybrid kidney that can partially replace native kidney functions. This groundbreaking initiative aims to improve the quality of life for patients with kidney failure who currently rely on hemodialysis—a treatment that only replaces 10% of kidney function and has a poor prognosis.
Collaboration: The project is a cross-disciplinary public-private collaboration involving key partners such as UMC Utrecht, Utrecht University, University of Twente, and Imec. These institutions bring together expertise in regenerative medicine, membrane technology, and micro-electromechanical systems to create a sustainable and effective kidney replacement therapy.
Funding Announcement: Last week, Health Holland announced that it will provide €2.1 million in funding over the next five years for a public-private partnership program to develop biohybrid artificial kidneys. This funding will support the collaboration in creating a biohybrid kidney capable of continuous function inside the body, ultimately eliminating the need for dialysis. This is a follow-up to the portable artificial kidney initiative by the Dutch Kidney Foundation, which will soon be tested on patients.
Goals: The ultimate goal is to engineer a biohybrid kidney capable of continuous function inside the body, freeing patients from the burdens of extracorporeal equipment and frequent hospital visits. The biohybrid kidney will feature a hemocompatible nanoporous filter for hemofiltration and synthetic cells for the reabsorption of water and useful solutes while efficiently removing toxic waste molecules.
Intermediate Milestones: An intermediate goal is to develop an implantable hemodialysis filter that enables needle-free hemodialysis at home, significantly reducing the treatment burden for patients.
Current Challenges: An average dialysis patient undergoes treatment three times a week for four hours in a hospital. The average life expectancy is 5-10 years, as dialysis can only partially replace kidney function and places a heavy burden on the heart and blood vessels. Additionally, dialysis is an expensive treatment that heavily impacts national healthcare budgets in the Western world and consumes significant amounts of water, energy, and plastic.
Open Tender and Matchmaking: The program invites high-tech companies to co-develop this innovative technology. A matchmaking event is scheduled for early 2025, with project and valorization plans monitored by an independent expert committee from the Dutch Kidney Foundation and RegMedXB.
This initiative promises to enhance patient outcomes and make kidney replacement therapy more sustainable in the future.
For more information see: Biohybrid Kidney XB (Crossing Borders) | Health~Holland and Biohybride nier oplossing voor nierfalen – Nierstichting