BMI OrganBank Announces Promising Preclinical Kidney Transplant Data for Novel Medical Device

NOTE: BMI OrganBank licensed perfusion tech from the Duke Ex-Vivo Organ Lab, led by Drs. Andrew S. Barbas and Matthew Hartwig (Surgery, SOM). This press release first appeared on PR NewsWire.

• BMI OrganBank™ is developing novel organ preservation systems with potential to significantly reduce the waitlist for lifesaving organ transplants.
• Data generated by Duke University research partners using their OrganBank Transport device demonstrated successful 24-hour preservation of DCD kidneys that are often discarded today because of concerns about organ viability.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., June 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — BMI OrganBank today announced the publication of preclinical data utilizing their OrganBank Transport device in Transplantation Direct.  This data was generated and published by the Duke University Ex Vivo Organ Laboratory (DEVOL) and highlights the promise of the BMI OrganBank technology to greatly expand the possibilities for organ preservation and reconditioning.

Millions of registered organ donors die every year, but relatively few have their kidneys recovered and transplanted.  As a result, over 90,000 Americans are on the waiting list for lifesaving kidney transplants. This imbalance in supply and demand could be addressed by the greater use of kidneys from older donors and donors after circulatory death (DCD). With current organ preservation approaches, which use cold temperatures, these kidneys are vulnerable to significant injury during the storage period before transplantation, leading to increased rates of graft failure. As such, clinicians and patients are reluctant to utilize these kidneys.

To improve the preservation and acceptance of these kidneys, BMI OrganBank has developed a unique warm perfusion platform which does not require the use of blood.  Dr. Andrew Barbas, abdominal transplant surgeon and co-director of the DEVOL Lab, stated “This was the first study to thoroughly evaluate the performance of room temperature perfusion in pig kidney transplants, which are the gold standard for testing new kidney transplant technologies.  We were excited to observe 24-hour preservation times and sustained improvements in post-transplant graft function compared to standard-of-care organ preservation.  We were also intrigued by the ability to stably preserve discarded human kidneys for 24 hours.”

Dr. David Gerber, abdominal transplant surgeon and Chief Medical Officer at BMI OrganBank added “The robust BMI OrganBank platform has not only shown potential benefits for kidney transplant recipients but will fit well in clinical settings because it is highly automated and does not require the use of blood.  We look forward to initiating clinical studies to secure FDA approval in the near future.”

The full study results are available at Transplantation Direct.

About BMI OrganBank™

BMI OrganBank develops novel perfusion systems that can preserve and recondition organs and tissues. BMI has research facilities in the Innovation Accelerator at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC and in Research Triangle Park, NC. BMI OrganBank has multiple medical devices in development that use its patented and proprietary technologies. Its first product to launch will be the OrganBank Transport device, which was developed in partnership with Duke University researchers at the Duke Ex-Vivo Organ Laboratory (DEVOL).  BMI is currently conducting a seed funding round.  To learn more, visit bmiorganbank.com.

About the Duke University Ex Vivo Organ Lab

The Duke University Ex Vivo Lab (DEVOL) focuses on the development of novel strategies to enhance the function of high-risk transplanted organs. At present, much of their work involves the use of ex vivo organ perfusion technology, in which grafts are maintained in a metabolically active state outside the body. This platform provides the opportunity to assess the viability of the organ and to deliver therapeutic treatments to enhance graft function. To learn more, visit https://surgery.duke.edu/divisions/abdominal-transplant-surgery/research/research-laboratories/duke-ex-vivo-organ-laboratory.

SOURCE BMI OrganBank