MediBeacon Inc. announced the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in China has approved the MediBeacon® TGFR Monitor and TGFR Sensor for the assessment of kidney function in patients with normal or impaired renal function. Lumitrace® (relmapirazin) injection, categorized as a drug in China, is under review and is targeted for approval in late 2025.

The transdermal GFR technology includes Lumitrace (relmapirazin) injection, a non-radioactive, non-iodinated fluorescent GFR tracer agent, which together with the TGFR Monitor and TGFR Sensor allow assessment of kidney function by measuring the clearance rate of the fluorescent agent as it leaves the body.

In 2021, the NMPA granted the TGFR Innovative Medical Device Designation. Only 10 percent of applications are granted this designation. Benefits of this registration route including early product promotion are considerable.

In February, the Clinical Kidney Journal published MediBeacon data in an article on Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) stage misclassification via estimated GFR (eGFR) compared to measured GFR (mGFR) using relmapirazin. In a stable CKD population, more than one-third of the subjects had an actual mGFR (relmapirazin) that differed by at least one CKD stage from their estimated GFR (eGFR). Relmapirazin is indicated for use with the TGFR.

"The Clinical Kidney Journal study raises serious concerns about how chronic kidney disease is diagnosed today," said Dr. Ira Kurtz, Chief of the Division of Nephrology at UCLA Medical Center. "Researchers found that current eGFR methods misclassified 35 percent of patients, leading to potentially incorrect treatments and delayed interventions."

In the February ahead of print section in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), MediBeacon clinical study data from the use of transdermal detection of relmapirazin in patients with normal to impaired kidney function across a range of skin color types was posted online. JASN publishes high-impact research to advance the understanding and treatment of kidney diseases.

In addition to his leadership role at UCLA Medical Center, Dr. Kurtz is active in the development of an artificial kidney and artificial intelligence in the training and practice of nephrology.

Dr. Kurtz commented that: "The study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology introduces a wearable, transdermal device that assesses GFR without the need for blood samples. The fluorescence-based test, developed by MediBeacon, demonstrated an exceptional correlation (r² = 0.90) with plasma mGFR across all skin types, paving the way for more equitable and accurate kidney function assessment. These two new studies have reshaped the landscape of kidney disease diagnostics, offering both a cutting-edge innovation and a stark warning about current practices. The findings underscore the urgent need for improved kidney function assessment tools, with non-invasive, point of care GFR measurement emerging as a game-changing solution."

"Awareness of kidney disease is relatively low despite the fact that it is the 7th leading risk factor for mortality worldwide.4 MediBeacon is pleased to have the opportunity to aid in the assessment of kidney function in China," said Steve Hanley CEO of MediBeacon. "NMPA approval is the culmination of a rigorous device application process that required close collaboration of the MediBeacon and Huadong Medicine teams. We look forward to the next phase of our partnership with Huadong Medicine and eagerly anticipate Lumitrace approval in China later this year."