HHS launches $7.25 million KidneyX Sustainability Prize

Challenge seeks solutions that reduce water or power used during dialysis

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched the KidneyX Sustainability Prize, a $7.25 million challenge to drive meaningful change in the sustainability of kidney care. This challenge, the latest initiative from the Kidney Innovation Accelerator (KidneyX), aims to seize opportunities for sustainability by identifying and supporting solutions to reduce the resource demands of maintenance dialysis.

Today's life-sustaining dialysis technology consumes large amounts of water and power, putting patients at risk during resource shortages. In a single year, hemodialysis globally requires billions of liters of water and kilowatt hours of power. Dialysis further requires a high volume of exceptionally clean water, with up to 70% of water rejected during the filtration and purification process.

"Natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornado outbreaks, and wildfires are leaving patients without access to critical dialysis care - putting their very lives at risk," said Assistant Secretary of Health Admiral Rachel L. Levine, M.D. "With support from our partners, HHS is addressing the urgent need to invest in transformational treatment innovations for kidney diseases."

While long-term therapies like artificial kidneys and regenerative cell therapies hold promise for the future, the hundreds of thousands of American people living with kidney failure today urgently need solutions that address the kidney care system's vulnerability in the short term.

The challenge invites proposals from a diverse community of innovators - including patients, healthcare providers, engineers, and entrepreneurs. Participants should submit solution summaries and technical proposals by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on October 30, 2024. Solutions may involve technological or process approaches, and all disciplines and sectors are encouraged to develop KidneyX solutions that reduce water or power usage during dialysis and promote equitable access to care.

A multidisciplinary group of KidneyX Sustainability Prize judges will review eligible submissions and recommend up to seven winners. Judges will evaluate submissions according to the six equally weighted judging criteria and HHS may award up to seven winners to each receive an equal share of up to $7.25 million. HHS anticipates that it may announce the winners in early 2025.

Through the KidneyX public-private partnership, HHS and American Society of Nephrology (ASN) are transforming treatment for the more than 850 million people worldwide - including 37 million Americans - living with kidney diseases. KidneyX brings together patients, caregivers, researchers, innovators, and investors to transform the future of kidney treatment and care. KidneyX has awarded more than $17 million in prizes across six prize competitions such as Redesign Dialysis and the Artificial Kidney Prize, accelerating the development of breakthrough innovations that could improve living quality and treatment.

To learn more about the challenge, participants can join a virtual information session on September 25, 2024.

About KidneyX
The Kidney Innovation Accelerator (KidneyX) is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) to accelerate innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of kidney diseases. For more information, visit kidneyx.org.

About the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
HHS enhances and protects the health and well-being of all Americans. HHS fulfills that mission by providing for effective health and human services and by fostering sound, sustained advances in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) focused the priority of this KidneyX challenge on the sustainability of kidney care in alignment with parallel efforts to enhance the sustainability of healthcare that the HHS/OASH Office of Climate Change and Health Equity is leading. For more information, visit hhs.gov.

About the American Society of Nephrology
Since 1966, ASN has been leading the fight to prevent, treat, and cure kidney diseases throughout the world by educating health professionals and scientists, advancing research and innovation, communicating new knowledge and advocating for the highest quality care for patients. ASN has nearly 22,000 members representing 141 countries. For more information, visit asn-online.org.

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