Baxter debuts dialysis that clears greater range of harmful molecules

Baxter ($BAX) launched a new type of hemodialysis in a handful of countries, which uses a new dialyzer that filters a greater range of molecules from the blood, better simulating the function of a natural kidney.

Expanded hemodialysis, or HDx, is enabled by Baxter’s Theranova dialyzer, which is indicated for the treatment of acute and chronic renal failure, according to a statement. People with renal failure are unable to clear harmful molecules from their blood. Existing dialysis treatments effectively remove smaller middle molecules, such as urea, but tend not to be as effective with large middle molecules.

A recent study showed that Theranova was able to remove a broader range of middle molecules than other dialyzers on the market, including according to the statement. It involved 39 patients in Austria and Germany and examined the clearance of free immunoglobulin light chains by traditional dialysis, HDF--a type of dialysis that targets larger middle molecules--and Theranova.

The HDx therapy is designed to function like conventional hemodialysis, and so works with most dialysis machines, according to the statement. This will facilitate the addition of HDx therapy to clinics as it doesn’t need any new, special equipment. This gives it an advantage over HDF, but is not effective in all patients and is not as widely available as regular dialysis.

Baxter is launching HDx in Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium, where the Theranova dialyzer has received the regulatory OK.