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A German hospital has begun collaboration with a Singapore-based company on a wearable artificial kidney for children suffering from renal diseases.
The clinical trials will take place in University Children's Hospital Tübingen.
Singapore company AWAK Technologies announced today the signing of Memorandum of Understanding with University Children's Hospital Tübingen.
This marks AWAK's automated wearable artificial kidney's first trial on pediatric patients and the beginning of long term collaboration in advancement of pediatric renal research.
In children, a healthy kidney is important for physical development as it regulates growth hormones, eliminate toxic waste and excess water from blood.
Children on dialysis tend to have poor appetite which limits their nutritional intake.
With little energy intake, this can lead to decreased in activity and resistance to infection.
Although dialysis improves some of the problems, many children continue to grow poorly.
AWAK's automated wearable artificial kidney allows for better dietary protein intake.
Typical centre-based dialysis requires pediatric patients to spend four hours, three times a week at the centre.
The new wearable artificial kidney allows children to undergo dialysis anytime and anywhere.
The greatest benefit of the wearable artificial kidney to pediatric patients is their ability to travel freely, allowing them to attend school and participate in family and social activities.
"The automated wearable artificial kidney is a major breakthrough in the care of children with renal insufficiency. The children become independent from dialysis centers and will be able to continue a normal life with their families and friends," said Prof Rupert Handgretinger, Medical Director of General Pediatrics, Haematology, Oncology and Managing Medical Director of the University Children's Hospital Tübingen.
AWAK Technologies was incorporated in 2007 in collaboration with Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore to design and develop Automated Wearable Artificial Kidney (AWAK) to address patients with end-stage renal disease.