Dialysis Prototype Offers Excellent Clinical Results

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2000

Contact: Monica Moore
Media Relations Coordinator
(573) 882-5663

MU Professor's Dialysis Prototype Offers Excellent Clinical Results

Columbia, Mo. -- The Food and Drug Administration recently approved the testing of a new artificial kidney machine co-developed by Zbylut J. Twardowski, M.D., PhD, Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri School of Medicine.

By definition, hemodialysis is a process that requires the removal of contaminated blood, which is then purified through semi-permeable membranes. Vital substances, which were absent, are then added and the healthy blood is returned to the patient.

Early attempts of daily hemodialysis failed because dialysis facilities lacked the necessary equipment needed to perform such a task. Twardowski realized that daily home hemodialysis could become a reality if a machine could be built that was easy to operate, decreased the total time spent on dialysis, and be cost effective. With the assistance of Rodney Kenley, founder of AKSYS, Ltd. (Artificial Kidney Systems), Twardowski co-designed, patented, and licensed the innovative artificial kidney machine. The result was the personal hemodialysis system (PHD).

The PHD provides daily, effortless home dialysis. The patient is connected to the PHD system by an intravenous catheter or needle and then turns the system on. The patient usually spends approximately two to three hours on dialysis. When the procedure has been completed, the patient disconnects from the device.

Daily hemodialysis is the most efficient dialysis that exists. "You can employ more cleaning power than with any other dialysis method; however it is difficult for most patients to come to dialysis everyday because this increases time wasted for travel," said Twardowski.

As an in-home dialysis system, the PHD not only eliminates the need for travel, but also offers the patient the opportunity to choose when to undergo daily treatment. In addition, the PHD is the only self-cleaning unit, which further decreases the total time spent on the dialysis process. Dwain Burton, a dialysis patient for the past twenty-five years, is one of the four patients using the PHD during its clinical trial. "What I've seen of this machine so far impresses me. Every dialysis prior to this machine, we'd have to tear everything apart and clean," Burton said.

Cost effective as well, the PHD is also the only system that the dialyzer, which facilitates the movement of blood through the machine, and the bloodlines are reused. During the dialysis procedure, the PHD cleans both dialyzer and lines every fifteen to thirty minutes. After treatment is complete, the system performs a thorough self-cleaning procedure. As a result, dialyzer and lines need only to be changed every thirty days.

The PHD also reduces the need for Erythropoietin (EPO), the medication used in dialysis to help the body produce more blood. The PHD promotes better blood production without EPO. Twardowski also said that the PHD system reduces the need for blood pressure medication by controlling blood pressure. Daily hemodialysis with the PHD has provided excellent clinical results. Two of the four patients involved in the trial are now using their own home PHD systems.

"It only took about two weeks and then I noticed a difference, both mentally and physically," said Burton.

Clinical trials on Twardowski and Kenley's artificial kidney system will continue through June 2000.

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