A non-invasive, child-friendly solution to detect kidney reflux without the trauma.

Our mission is to be the method of choice for screening and monitoring kidney reflux by enhancing patient experience and clinical outcomes.

Kidney Reflux

Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR)

VUR is an anatomical and/or functional disorder causing backflow of urine from the bladder to the kidneys. It is the most common urinary tract abnormality in babies and children up to five years of age. VUR has potentially serious consequences such as renal scarring, hypertension and renal failure.

Existing diagnostic techniques are invasive and either involve radiation exposure or are unreliable.

The company estimates that the device can reach over 1.5 million children in the US and Europe per year for screening alone.

The Opportunity

The key drivers for a safe and child-friendly system to detect VUR include the following:

Clear Unmet Clinical Need

Significant clinician support for patient-centric solution

Healthcare System Initiatives

Reduce radiation exposure in children
Prevent long-term conditions through early screening

Changes in Clinical Practice

Reduce use of current gold standard diagnostic test (VCUG) and alleviate clinician concern over missed diagnosis

Growth in Digital Health

Drive towards remote monitoring of patients
Move to outpatient and community-based monitoring

A Better Way

The Kite Medical system uses electrical impedance tomography to identify changes in conductivity in the children’s ureters and kidneys that indicate kidney reflux. The device will screen children at initial assessment and monitor children after VUR is diagnosed.

Enhanced Patient Experience

Non-invasive - no pain and trauma associated with catheterisation
No radiation or x-ray images required
Outpatient or primary care setting - does not require referral to radiology
Child-friendly - will provide a wearable, child-friendly and user-friendly solution

Cost Savings

Direct cost reduction over the current standard of care
Indirect cost savings - earlier treatment and prevention of illnesses associated with delayed VUR diagnosis (e.g. UTIs and permanent kidney damage)

News

June 2020 Horizon 2020 EIC Accelerator funding from the European Commission
March 2020 Patent granted for "Non-invasive detection of the backflow of urine"
August 2019
Peer-reviewed paper demonstrating detectability of simulated VUR using EIT in a pre-clinical setting
July 2019 Awarded EIT Health Headstart funding
September 2018 Start-up of the month on Silicon Republic
June 2018 Top 100 start-up companies in Ireland
April 2018 Seed funding from Enterprise Ireland and private investors
February 2018 Grant from the Philadelphia Pediatric Medical Device Consortium (PPDC)
BioInnovate (National University of Ireland, Galway) spin-out