Relavo has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant worth US$1 million, which will be used to complete development and conduct safety, efficacy, and usability testing on the PeritoneX disinfection system.
The PeritoneX is an accessory connection device intended to reduce infection risk in peritoneal dialysis (PD) caused by tubing contamination.
PD is the most commonly used form of home dialysis in the USA, as per a Relavo press release. Despite its demonstrated benefits for patient outcomes and quality of life, PD is only used by 11% of dialysis patients in the USA—largely due to the risk of infection, known as peritonitis.
However, significant government initiatives laid out in the Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative (AAKHI) now seek to increase home dialysis utilisation significantly over the next few years, the release continues.
“We are thrilled to receive this support from NSF,” said Sarah Lee, CEO of Relavo. “The dialysis space is a continuously growing market, yet so little innovation has occurred. With the PeritoneX, more of the 554,000 dialysis patients will feel comfortable receiving PD.”