Kidney Transplantation
Part of NephTimes
Development of a transplant morbidity gene panel highlights how genetic testing could open the door to personalized care. Researchers studied outcomes of transplant recipients who received kidneys from toxoplasma-positive versus negative donors. The HHS issued a final rule that expands access to kidney and liver transplants for people living with HIV. CMS issued a final rule for the IOTA mandatory payment model, which will go into effect July 1, 2025. The Kidney Transplant Collaborative called on CMS to prioritize the IOTA payment model to improve transplant access. Using X-Therma preservation products, a pig kidney preserved at subzero temperatures survived a transatlantic flight. The KidneyVault donor kidney preservation system has received FDA 501(k) clearance. Researchers examined the effect of kidney transplantation (KT) on cognitive abilities. Lawsuits allege discrimination by UNOS for using an eGFR calculation that delayed transplants for Black patients. 34 Lives received a $44 million grant to support No Kidney Left Behind, a project to extend the viability of donated kidneys. A proposed HHS rule would remove barriers and increase access to kidney and liver transplantation in the HIV community. Felzartamab was found to be a safe and effective treatment for antibody-mediated rejection in kidney transplantation. eGenesis has received financing to help advance an engineered kidney, EGEN-2784, to a first-in-human study for transplant. Makana Therapeutics has discovered a fourth pig gene that, when inactivated, could greatly reduce organ rejection risk. CMS will rescind a proposed draft coverage policy that would have limited coverage of noninvasive post-transplant monitoring. The End Kidney Deaths Act would provide tax credits to living donors who give kidneys to patients waitlisted the longest. A new pretransplant risk assessment assay may help determine risk of early acute kidney transplant rejection. Older kidney donors are now more common, but the safety of nephrectomy in donors aged ≥70 years has not been well studied. In March, a patient at the Cleveland Clinic became the first in the US to receive a robot-assisted dual kidney transplant. Are kidneys from donors who had dialysis more likely to result in adverse outcomes for transplant recipients?