For kidney patients, the biggest change may be coming: New artificial kidney implant will filter blood continuosly without regular hospital dialysis

For kidney patients, the biggest change may be coming in the form of a surgically implanted device that filters blood around the clock, potentially eliminating the need for hospital dialysis sessions that currently define life for millions of patients with end-stage kidney disease.

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The device is called Holly. It was developed by urologists Dr Nikhil Shah and Dr Hiep Nguyen, co-founders of Atlanta-based medical device company Nephrodite, and received a breakthrough device designation from the United States Food and Drug Administration in 2025 following animal studies conducted on living sheep that showed the device could safely replace kidney function over several days.


How bad is the kidney disease crisis in India?

India carries one of the largest kidney disease burdens in the world. More than two lakh patients are diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease every year. Of those, only 6 to 10 per cent undergo dialysis and barely one per cent receives a kidney transplant.

For patients on dialysis, the treatment means visiting a hospital two to three times a week, enduring repeated needle pricks, and structuring their lives almost entirely around those sessions. Travel, employment, and routine daily activity become difficult to sustain over months and years.

What is the Holly artificial kidney implant?

Holly is surgically placed inside the body and connected to blood vessels in the pelvis. Once in place, it filters waste continuously, the way a functioning kidney does, rather than in periodic sessions.

"Holly is surgically placed inside the body, stays connected to blood vessels in the pelvis, and keeps filtering waste continuously like a normal kidney," Dr Shah told the Times of India, drawing a direct contrast with conventional dialysis which filters waste and excess fluids only two to three times a week.

The device also connects to a bedside machine for water removal, which the patient can use at a time of their choosing, typically at night.

What will life look like for patients using Holly?

Dr K S Nayak, director of nephrology at Gleneagles Fortis Hospital, Hyderabad and lead medical advisor for Nephrodite India, told the Times of India the device could substantially improve quality of life, particularly for patients in India.

"During the day, no one will even know the patient has a device implanted. They can work, travel and carry on with normal life, connecting to a bedside machine for water removal only when convenient, usually at night," he said.

Dr Nayak added that Holly could serve as a bridge to kidney transplants for some patients and as a long-term destination therapy for others. He said it is currently the only medical device with a proven track record of providing a solution for end-stage kidney disease.

Is the Holly device ready for human trials?

The prototype has been in development for over a decade and is currently in its pre-clinical phase. An animal study is expected in 2027 before human trials begin in India. The FDA has given its nod for human trials following the encouraging results from the sheep studies.

India was selected for clinical trials on the basis of its engineering, manufacturing, and clinical research capabilities. The device is already being manufactured in Kochi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai.

"Our goal is to develop a scalable artificial kidney that can reduce dependence on dialysis centres and improve access to kidney replacement therapy worldwide," Dr Shah told the Times of India.

Why are doctors optimistic about implantable kidney devices?

Dr Sree Bhushan Raju, head of nephrology at Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, told the Times of India that earlier concepts in this space involved bulky wearable systems that were difficult to use in practice. Newer designs, he said, are smaller, lighter, and more practical.

"These implantable kidney systems have the potential to make dialysis simpler and more convenient, giving kidney failure patients more freedom. Manufacturing the device in India could reduce costs and improve access," he said.

(With TOI inputs)