Hyperphosphatemia and kidney disease

Hyperphosphatemia, a condition that occurs when the phosphate concentration in serum exceeds 1.46 mM, is common among patients with advanced chronic and acute kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure. Maintenance hemodialysis does not remove phosphate from blood; thus, almost all patients on maintenance hemodialysis have hyperphosphatemia. Current treatment relies primarily on dietary restrictions and the administration of oral phosphate binders with food or drink which are often insufficient to manage hyperphosphatemia for individuals on dialysis. This inability to manage the disorder increases morbidity, mostly due to cardiovascular events related to vascular and soft tissue calcification. Our group has designed and optimized a unique class of phosphate receptors that have high affinity for phosphate, exquisite selectivity over competing endogenous anions, and high stability. The overarching goal of this project is to develop, optimize, and translate to the clinic novel affinity columns functionalized with these receptors for normalizing the levels of inorganic phosphate from blood quickly, safely, and selectively.