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A Year of Saving Lives: 34 Lives Rescues 130 Kidneys

In a remarkable achievement, 34 Lives, a Public Benefit Company based in West Lafayette, Indiana, has successfully rescued and transplanted 130 kidneys within its first year of operations. Focused on preventing donor kidneys from going unused, 34 Lives aims to dramatically reduce the number of patients waiting for transplants.

Founded in 2022 at the Purdue Research Park, this innovative organization has made significant strides by collaborating with 17 Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) and 15 transplant centers nationwide. As co-founder Kathleen St. Jean notes, "Every day in this country, approximately 34 patients are forced to give up the dream of receiving a kidney transplant; some die, others become too sick to remain on the waiting list. Our mission is to lower this number dramatically."

The statistics surrounding organ donation are staggering. According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), last year saw a recovery of twice the number of kidneys needed for patients on the waiting list, but a shocking 9,275 kidneys—or 29%—were ultimately declined by transplant programs, rendering them unviable. Co-founder Chris Jaynes highlighted that since 2016, the nonuse rate of recovered kidneys has increased by 52%, emphasizing the urgent need for solutions.

34 Lives recently received a significant funding boost to aid their mission. In September of last year, the organization was awarded $44 million over five years by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), aimed at implementing the "No Kidney Left Behind" project. This initiative is set to develop new technologies and processes that will help recover around 50% of donor kidneys that are considered viable but otherwise not being utilized. By doing so, 34 Lives hopes to improve the availability of these critical organs and ultimately save more lives.

Since its inception, 34 Lives has experienced rapid growth, expanding from just two employees to 25 as of now. Plans are underway to establish an additional Rescue Lab at a secondary location to enhance their services and further assist in the recovery of kidneys.

The urgency and importance of their efforts are echoed by Kevin Longino, CEO of the National Kidney Foundation, who stated, "34 Lives is a company working to save more donor kidneys and ensure they reach patients who need them most. This type of innovative thinking is exactly what is required in kidney care, and it is why the NKF's Innovation Fund was an early investor in 34 Lives."

To learn more about 34 Lives and their important work in the field of organ donation and transplantation, you can visit their website at 34lives.com.

About 34 Lives

34 Lives operates as a Public Benefit Corporation, dedicated to saving the lives of patients waiting for kidney transplants. Their innovative solutions focus on giving hard-to-place kidneys a second chance, ensuring that viable organs reach those in need. The organization’s Central Preservation and Assessment Service aims to optimize donor kidney allocation, which can be found under their clinical trial identifier NCT06263023 at ClinicalTrials.gov.

In conclusion, 34 Lives exemplifies an inspiring commitment to revolutionize how we approach kidney donations and organ transplants. Their innovative techniques and collaborative efforts are paving the way toward a brighter future for those in need of a second chance at life.