Growing Jack Beans for the Future of Home Dialysis
Enabling Life-Saving Kidney Therapy Through Regional Agriculture
A Unique Collaboration Between Healthcare and Agriculture
At the end of 2023, Nextkidney launched an initiative to establish a growers’ consortium focused on the long-term regional production of Jack Beans. These beans are a crucial raw material for a new home dialysis therapy that significantly improves the lives of kidney patients.
Nextkidney is a Dutch company, co-founded by the Dutch Kidney Foundation, with subsidiaries in Switzerland and Singapore. The company is supported by major Dutch health insurers, patient associations, and medical professionals worldwide.
The Neokidney: Dialysis Without Limits
Nextkidney has developed the Neokidney, the world’s first truly portable home hemodialysis device. This innovation allows patients to dialyze where and when they choose, giving them greater autonomy and flexibility in their daily lives.
More frequent dialysis not only improves quality of life, but also leads to a higher life expectancy. At the same time, home treatment reduces healthcare costs by lowering the need for professional supervision. With the Neokidney, treatment adapts to the patient’s life, not the other way around.
Why Jack Beans Are Essential
A key component of the Neokidney is its advanced filtration system, which enables dialysis fluid to be reused. An essential step in this process is the breakdown of urea, a waste product in the blood.
This breakdown is made possible by an enzyme extracted from the Jack Bean. Reliable, regional Jack Bean cultivation is therefore an indispensable link in making this innovative therapy available to as many patients as possible.
The Jack Bean Growers’ Consortium
Our company participates in the Jack Bean growers’ consortium, which plays a central role in the project. Trials and scale-up activities are currently being carried out with six Dutch growers.
Different cultivation systems are being tested and compared to determine the most effective and sustainable growing protocol. This approach supports efficient production while contributing to the broader implementation of this groundbreaking medical therapy.
EU-Funded Innovation
- The OPZuid project “Dutch Jack Beans” is currently underway and is co-financed by the European Union. The project highlights how regional agriculture can directly support medical innovation and sustainable healthcare solutions.
