National Kidney Foundation's Innovation Fund Invests in BMI OrganBank to Advance Breakthrough Kidney Transplant Technology

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) announced today that its Innovation Fund has invested in BMI OrganBank, a Winston-Salem, NC–based medical device company pioneering next-generation organ preservation and assessment technologies. The funding will be used to finalize preparations for BMI OrganBank's upcoming clinical study of its room temperature machine perfusion (RTMP) platform, designed to improve kidney transplant outcomes and reduce waitlist times for patients.

BMI OrganBank recently secured FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for its portable kidney preservation device, recognizing its potential to transform the transplant landscape. BMI OrganBank's RTMP technology enables functional assessment of kidneys before transplant and extends preservation times. This innovation aims to expand the number of viable organs available, directly addressing the urgent need faced by the more than 90,000 Americans waiting for a kidney transplant.

"Every kidney that goes unused represents a life that could have been saved," said Kevin Longino, CEO of the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient. "By investing in companies like BMI OrganBank, we want to accelerate a technology that aims to reduce discarded kidneys and bring more lifesaving transplants to patients in need."

Carrie DiMarzio, CEO of BMI OrganBank, stated, "We are honored to receive this strategic investment from the National Kidney Foundation, which significantly advances our efforts to validate RTMP technology through clinical studies."

The NKF Innovation Fund was created to accelerate solutions that improve kidney health by investing in early-stage companies developing promising therapies and technologies. Through its catalytic funding, NKF bridges the gap between discovery and delivery, helping innovators bring more options to patients faster.     

About Kidney Disease
In the United States, 37 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and approximately 90 percent don't know they have it. 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are at risk for kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black or African American people are more than four times as likely as White Americans to have kidney failure.

About BMI OrganBank^®
BMI OrganBank specializes in developing transformative perfusion systems for organ and tissue evaluation and preservation. Its flagship portable kidney device, co-developed with leading transplant surgeons, is poised to enter clinical studies. With facilities at the Innovation Quarter in Winston-Salem, NC, and Research Triangle Park, NC, BMI OrganBank is advancing multiple medical devices based on its proprietary technologies. Learn more at www.bmiorganbank.com.

About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis and transplantation. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org

SOURCE National Kidney Foundation