CVS is diving into the dialysis market

Drug store operator CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) said today it plans to expand into the dialysis market, launching a program focused on early identification of kidney disease and unveiling plans to develop a new home hemodialysis system. CVS said it will approach its entry into the dialysis market in stages, focusing on early disease identification and education, followed by the development of a home dialysis program for both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. As part of its program, the company said it will launch a pivotal trial of a new home hemodialysis system in support of planned FDA submission, though it has not yet revealed specific details of the device. CVS did say that the secretive system is intended to “make home hemodialysis simple and safe for patients” to allow for longer, more frequent treatments. “In dialysis today, there is an enormous unmet medical need with high levels of mortality, frequent hospitalizations and poor quality of life for affected patients. As we explored this area it became clear that our enterprise assets from our experience with complex patient home care through Coram, the breadth of our chronic disease management capabilities with CVS Specialty and Accordant, and our deep payor relationships at CVS Caremark will enable us to create a unique value proposition to help reshape dialysis treatment,” CVS Specialty head Dr. Alan Lotvin said in a prepared statement. “Diagnosing kidney disease early is the only way to...
Source: Mass Device - Category: Medical Devices Authors: Tags: Business/Financial News Research & Development CVS Health Source Type: news