OrganOx, innovation by Oxford University, contends for MacRobert Award 2025
Title: OrganOx Makes Waves in Organ Preservation and Transplantation
Hey there! Want to dive into something groundbreaking in the world of medical sciences? Let's check out OrganOx, a jaw-dropping innovation that’s caught the attention of the engineering elite.
OrganOx was born from the University of Oxford, sprouting its roots in 2008 when biomedical engineer Professor Constantin Coussios OBE FREng FMedSci and transplant surgeon Professor Peter Friend FMedSci FRCS decided to revolutionize the way we look at organ transplantation. Their goal: to create a game-changing technology that could keep organs alive and functioning outside the body for extensive durations.
Fast forward to today, and OrganOx is a force to be reckoned with. They've developed transportable normothermic organ perfusion devices, a world first that originated from University of Oxford research. The devices are designed specifically for livers and kidneys, allowing for organ preservation like never before. Thanks to OrganOx's cutting-edge technology, it's now possible to objectively test organs, assess their viability, and even utilize a second human or pig organ to help the patient's own organ recover, all without the need for transplantation in certain cases.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Professor Irene Tracey CBE FRS, had this to say: "OrganOx exemplifies Oxford's ability to combine technological innovation and medical science, creating groundbreaking inventions that make a real impact on patients and society."
OrganOx's innovative technology gained regulatory approval in 2018 following an Oxford-led clinical study, and since then has been used to preserve and successfully transplant over 6,000 livers across 4 continents and 12 countries. On top of that, OrganOx's automated normothermic machine perfusion has demonstrated the ability to safely transplant over 70% of organs that were previously discarded under conventional preservation practices, resulting in an additional 2,395 life-saving transplants in the USA alone in 2023 and 2024. To top it off, centers using OrganOx's technology reported a 25-30% increase in transplant volumes, all while keeping costs per transplanted patient under control.
The Cleveland Clinic, one of the largest North American liver transplant centers, even credited OrganOx's technology for reducing median waitlist times from 49 to a staggering 14 days, and cutting waiting list mortality in half from 13.3% to 6.3% between 2019 and 2023.
OrganOx is also exploring potential applications beyond livers and kidneys, with successful experiments in kidney transplants and breakthroughs in the treatment of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure, a condition that affects 60,000 patients annually. With a 70% mortality rate for those without transplantation, the liver organ perfusion technology being developed by OrganOx could save countless lives.
The esteemed Royal Academy of Engineering has recognized OrganOx's achievements by shortlisting them as one of the finalists for the 2025 MacRobert Award. Only time will tell if OrganOx takes home the prize, but we're excited to see what the future holds for them and the medical world at large. Stay tuned for the grand announcement on July 8th!
Bonus Facts:
- OrganOx is a medical technology spinout from the University of Oxford, with a primary focus on organ preservation and transplantation technology.
- The OrganOx metra device enables organs to be preserved for longer than ever before, allowing for more accurate testing and even the use of external organs to support the patient's own organ recovery.
- Career opportunities at OrganOx include positions in mechanical engineering and clinical research, reflecting the company's commitment to advancing the field of organ transplantation technology.
- OrganOx's medical technology, specializing in organ preservation and transplantation, has demonstrated the potential to revolutionize the health-and-wellness sector by keeping organs functional for extended periods, even enabling the use of external organs for patient recovery.
- In addition to livers and kidneys, OrganOx is actively researching potential applications of its technology in medical-conditions like Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure, a critical health issue affecting thousands of patients annually; its innovative solutions could significantly improve the scientific understanding and treatment of such conditions.
