Coordinating efforts to optimize next-generation kidney replacement therapies: the European Kidney Health Alliance Work Group ‘Breakthrough Innovation’

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the fastest growing health problems, set to become the fifth global death cause by 2040. Factors contributing to this fast growth include increased survival from other diseases (cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc.), population aging, lack of early CKD diagnosis tools, insufficient CKD awareness within healthcare systems, limited therapeutic armamentarium to prevent CKD progression and limitations of currently available kidney replacement therapies (KRTs). The European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA) and the American Association of Kidney Patients joined forces within the Decade of the Kidney(TM) framework to address these issues. We report on the rationale and vision of the EKHA Work Group ‘Breakthrough Innovation’ which aims to disrupt the existing innovation paradox on KRT. We discuss how the concepts of international technological roadmapping and coopetition may leverage breakthrough KRT technologies, and present a map of the kidney innovation playing field, driven by patient advocacy groups.