The Lixelle Column has won approval for use by the Food and Drug Administration.
The dialysis technology component can be used to help in the treatment of a complication of kidney failure and a host of other ailments.
Column technology is increasingly used in fluid-related medical devices and systems. Companies are targeting sales and distribution in growth areas in medical, corporate and institutional use.
Kaneka Corp. produces the column, and the approval by the FDA is significant in that the Osaka, Japan-based company is a leader in the development of the technology. Lixelle Column is a membrane-type plasma separator.
An important area of this continued growth is the field of study related to apherisis. There has been a good deal of research done in apheresis, which derives from the Greek version of "to take away." The technology focuses on separating undesirable agents from bodily fluids and in the bloodstream.
The Lixelle Column system has been used in helping the body eliminate agents that cause inflammation. It has been used in treatment of HIV, arthritis, cholesterol management and ulcerative colitis. Excess cholesterol leads to blockages near and around the heart.
But the FDA approval came based on the research that Kaneka Corp.'s column has proven to be an important part of treating dialysis-related amyloidosis. It works to remove excess of the protein that, in large amounts, leads to DRA. Kaneka Corp.'s lead product Selesorb.
The absorption column is a growing technology and part of a medical devices sector that has been on the rebound in the last several years. The columns are used in dialysis and other applications, and it is projected that dialysis and related medical technologies will continue to skyrocket as baby boomers hit their elder years.
There is a dire need for advancements in dialysis as the "boomers" - an active generation that wants to still stay on the move - express frustration that the tech is keeping up.
