Purdue-affiliated startup looks to restore discarded kidneys for transplant

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – 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, 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.”

About Purdue Research Foundation

Purdue Research Foundation supports Purdue University’s land-grant mission by helping the university improve the world through its technologies and graduates. Established in 1930, PRF is a private, nonprofit foundation. The foundation helps patent and commercialize Purdue technologies; builds places to encourage innovation, invention, investment, commercialization and entrepreneurship; and makes equity available to students to finance their Purdue education. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Office of Technology Commercialization at otcip@prf.org. For more information about involvement and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 5 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at purdue.edu.

About Renovera, PBC

Renovera is a public benefit corporation, which is a company that prioritizes societal benefits over profits. Backed by a KidneyX Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the National Kidney Foundation, Renovera is committed to saving and dramatically improving the lives of more than 100,000 individuals waiting for lifesaving kidney transplants. Renovera’s innovative technology and services will restore the function to the thousands of discarded kidneys each year, saving lives that would otherwise be lost on the waitlist.

Writer: Chris Adam, cladam@prf.org 

Sources: Chris Jaynes, chris@renovera.life

Kathleen St. Jean, kathleen.stjean@renovera.life