WEST LAFAYETTE. – Nearly 7,000 kidneys per year in the U.S. are either recovered for transplant and later discarded, or not recovered at all.
A Purdue University-affiliated startup is trying to change that statistic with new technology to help the more than 100,000 Americans currently needing a kidney transplant.
Renovera, which recently opened space in the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, is a new company focused on using technology to recondition discarded kidneys.
“We know there is a real need for this technology and our solutions for the tens of thousands of Americans and their families who have critical needs for donated kidneys,” said Chris Jaynes, Renovera’s CEO. “When fully operational, we anticipate being able to recondition up to 80% of all discarded kidneys.”
Donated kidneys are most often discarded for logistical reasons, such as being stored on ice for longer than 20 hours, the standard time period for which recovered kidneys are deemed useful in the U.S. In 2019, President Trump signed an executive order to increase pressure on organ procurement organizations to find more transplantable kidneys.
“We are using our space in Purdue Research Park to run tests and prove the validity of our technology to rehabilitate discarded kidneys,” said Kathleen St. Jean, the chief commercial officer for Renovera. “We are excited about partnering with the University and Purdue Research Foundation to tap into the expertise of the Purdue research and commercialization ecosystem.”
