Clinical trial set for DEKA’s home dialysis machine

DEKA’s HemoCare Homedialysis System

A home hemodialysis machine developed by Manchester—based DEKA Research & Development will be tested in a clinical trial involving a kidney care company based in Austin, Texas.

The nonprofit Satellite Healthcare, which provides in-center and home dialysis services, will participate in the ongoing clinical trial of DEKA’s HemoCare Hemodialysis System, a home hemodialysis machine aimed at making make overnight hemodialysis easier and safer to perform.

Under the trial, conducted with study partner CVS Kidney Care, eligible patients and their care partners will receive training on the machine in their own homes and transition to overnight home hemodialysis. The study is designed to collect and analyze all adverse safety events and routine lab tests that measure the efficacy of dialysis delivered by the machine.

“Home hemodialysis that is done frequently and for longer durations, especially when performed in the home setting, is associated with improved heart health, patient survival and quality of life,” said Bruce Culleton, chief nedical officer at CVS Kidney Care.

Since its founding in 1982 by inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen, DEKA has developed several successful medical devices, including peritoneal dialysis machines, infusion pumps and the LUKE prosthetic arm and iBot personal mobility device.