PALO ALTO, Calif.--On Thursday, Hewlett Packard announced a licensing agreement that allows Home Dialysis Plus to use applications from HP’s inkjet printers in a new home dialysis device.
HD+ plans to use HP's patented technology to develop a portable system that allows patients to get the benefits of nocturnal dialysis in the home. The new machine should be available by the end of 2010, the manufacturer said.
The inkjet technology will be used within the dialysis machine's proportioning system to mix the correct amount of water and concentrated dialysate (a salt and electrolyte solution) in real time, and pump the dialysis solution into the dialyzer. The HP technology was originally developed to mix and apply different colored inks.
Mixing the solution in real time helps to filter toxins over a longer period, HD+ explained. In addition, HP’s smart memory chip technology will be used to ensure the correct dialysate prescription is being delivered consistently so dialysis can take place while the patient is sleeping.
“With an increasing emphasis on home health care as a more cost-effective and efficient alternative, the new home dialysis machine will be a true breakthrough,” said HD+ CEO Michael Baker. “HP technology is critical to creating a unique patient experience that will offer ease of use and improved patient outcomes and life expectancy.”
HD+ said its new device will offer a slower and more accurate dialysis treatment, which used overnight, is more in tune with the body’s natural biological processes versus visits to a dialysis center three times a week. It should also “dramatically reduce” a patient’s post-treatment recovery time from hours to minutes.
In addition, the technology is expected to offer a smaller and easier-to-use option for portable dialysis at any location with access to a water source, making it easier and cheaper to train patients on how to perform their treatments at home, HD+ said. The company expects the cost of its new system to be lower than the cost of shipping prepackaged dialysate solutions.
Based in Portland, Ore., HD+ focuses on home treatment options for patients with end-stage renal disease.