Baxter announces FDA clearance of dialysis machine

DEERFIELD - Baxter International Inc. said U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its next-generation Artificial Kidney 98 dialysis machine, which is designed to be a portable and easy-to-use system.

Baxter said the AK 98 is not intended for self-care or home use. However, it offers encrypted, two-way connectivity, which enables the system to pull prescriptions directly from the electronic medical record for simplified workflow and data handling.

"We designed this latest version of our AK 98 system to help dialysis providers minimize the operational challenges that can come with administering multiple hemodialysis sessions per machine per day," said Gavin Campbell, general manager of Baxter's U.S. Renal Care business.

The AK 98 is a proven dialysis platform that builds on Baxter's long-standing tradition of pioneering and delivering groundbreaking advancements in the dialysis space, the company said. The AK 98 is now used in more than 90 countries and the next-generation system will be available in the U.S. in the coming weeks.