CVS Health will start clinical trials of a home kidney dialysis device this week — a move that could shake up the end-stage kidney care market and create a business for the retail pharmacy giant, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The move to provide at-home dialysis care sets up the retail pharmacy giant to compete with two of the largest operators of U.S. dialysis centers, Fresenius Medical Care and DaVita.
CVS will test HemoCare, a dialysis device created by Dakea Research and Development. The clinical trial will enroll about 70 patients and will work to compare the results for the at-home test to when dialysis is performed by a nurse. The trial is expected to be completed at the end of 2020. If successful, the device would hit the market in late 2021.
CVS is capitalizing on an initiative launched by the Trump administration that seeks to move dialysis into the home instead of dialysis centers.
Alan Lotvin, executive vice president of CVS, told The Journal that the company doesn't expect to perform dialysis at its own facilities or stores.
Kidney care is part of a CVS effort to become a go-to treatment center for people with chronic conditions.