A new era in kidney disease care management has begun with the launch of Dialytix, a pioneering start-up founded by UAB faculty. Spearheaded by Rubin Pillay, Ph.D., assistant dean at the Heersink School of Medicine, executive director of the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation, and chief innovation officer at UAB Health System, Dialytix aims to transform kidney disease treatment.
This faculty-led UAB spinout unites health tech, clinical science, data science, and business development experts to create a groundbreaking platform. Dialytix integrates real-time data from electronic health records (EHRs), dialysis devices, and financial systems to enhance kidney disease care quality, efficiency, and capacity.
"By conceptualizing a solution and launching Dialytix as a startup, we aim to make kidney disease care more efficient and effective,” Pillay said.
Kidney disease poses a significant challenge to the health care system, affecting 37 million people in the U.S. annually. The financial burden is substantial, with $48 billion spent annually on treatment. Additionally, 27 percent of hospital stays in the U.S. involve acute kidney injury, highlighting the critical need for improved data management to reduce readmissions, acuity, and mortality rates.
"Kidney disease is the most expensive condition in health care, with significant inefficiencies, particularly in the costly and long-term dialysis space,” Pillay said. "Addressing these inefficiencies is crucial, and we have the technological solutions.”
Founded in 2023, Dialytix revolutionizes kidney disease care management with its cutting-edge platform that integrates real-time multimodal data. This comprehensive data integration enables health care providers to make informed decisions that enhance quality improvement, operational efficiency, and capacity management.
A distinguished team of experts leads the company. Javier Neyra, M.D., associate professor in the UAB Division of Nephrology and co-director of UAB Critical Care Nephrology, brings extensive clinical and research expertise. Pillay and Ruben Raposo, CEO of Dialytix, round out the leadership team.
Dialytix's innovative approach leverages state-of-the-art AI technologies to create a functional data science ecosystem for treating and researching acute kidney disease. Dialytix ensures data privacy while providing actionable insights by implementing a federated learning paradigm. This approach allows for precise delivery and decision-making, reducing inefficiencies and improving patient outcomes.
The platform includes interactive and dynamic dashboards that track real-time key performance indicators (KPIs), driving dialysis quality assurance and financial performance initiatives. Dialytix's device-agnostic nature means it can integrate data from any EHR, dialysis machine, or economic system, offering an accurate 360-degree view of the patient.
In April 2024, Dialytix was recognized as one of five health-related tech startups to receive $60,000 each as part of the Birmingham-based Prosper Healthtech Accelerator. Additionally, a team co-led by Neyra was awarded the $20,000 Priya Nagar, M.D., Innovation Award for Kidney-Related Diseases in February 2025. This team collaborates with Dialytix to develop an AI-powered clinical decision support tool to help healthcare professionals optimize treatment decisions for critically ill patients with acute kidney injury undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy.
Dialytix aims to reduce readmissions, lower treatment costs, and improve overall clinical care by addressing the critical pain points in kidney disease care. The company's commitment to leveraging advanced technologies and data-driven insights positions it as a leader in the healthcare innovation space.