Victor Gura, MD, Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer of Wearable Artificial Organs Inc., announced today that the US Patent Office has granted approval of patent No. 10,933,183 for the new version of the WAK.
Current stationary dialysis machines hinder mobility and limit activities in patients with End Stage Kidney Disease. Their quality of life is poor, and mortality is high. The new device is much lighter and smaller than its predecessor models 1.0 and 2.0. The proof-of-concept model 2.0, an 11-pound device, was successfully trialed in 3 clinical trials in Vicenza, Italy, London, UK, and Seattle, WA. The WAK 3.0 weighs only 2 pounds and is powered by a rechargeable battery.
Dr. Gura, the inventor, said, “We are delighted with this new version of the WAK. It will free patients from spending lengthy hours in bed or an armchair, tied up to a big machine in a dialysis clinic. A miniaturized, battery operated wearable artificial kidney (WAK) can improve patient autonomy and has the potential to improve quality of life and reduce mortality.
“Preliminary data indicate that patients on dialysis using the WAK might be free to eat and drink with few limitations.
“The WAK will disrupt the dialysis industry and reduce the staggering costs of treating ESKD patients. Most patients today depend on dialysis clinics to receive their care, but application of the WAK instead will make this unnecessary.”
ABOUT WEARABLE ARTIFICIAL ORGANS INC. (WAO)
The company is a privately held Delaware corporation founded in 2017 to develop Dr. Gura’s latest invention. He has persevered for more than 20 years developing new kidney failure treatments.
