SeaStar Medical's QUELIMMUNE Honored with 2025 Corporate Innovator Award by National Kidney Foundation

SeaStar Medical's QUELIMMUNE, a groundbreaking medical device aimed at treating pediatric acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by sepsis, has been awarded the 2025 Corporate Innovator Award by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). This prestigious recognition places QUELIMMUNE in the company of past laureates such as Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Merck & Co. Inc., spotlighting its innovative approach to tackling a critical gap in nephrology care.

QUELIMMUNE's mechanism involves targeting the cytokine storm, a common yet dysregulated immune response in severe illnesses, by integrating with an existing continuous kidney replacement therapy circuit. Since receiving FDA approval under a Humanitarian Device Exemption in February 2024, the device has shown remarkable safety and efficacy, including a 77% reduction in mortality rates among treated pediatric patients and no cases of dialysis dependency after 60 days.

The NKF's accolade underscores QUELIMMUNE's potential to revolutionize the treatment paradigm for pediatric AKI, a condition with a daunting mortality rate of 51-58% among children requiring continuous renal replacement therapy. SeaStar Medical is now broadening its research scope to assess QUELIMMUNE's applicability in adult AKI patients, with ongoing trials targeting the enrollment of 200 participants.

Founded in 1950, the NKF has been instrumental in pioneering kidney disease treatment and enhancing patient care, making the Corporate Innovator Award a notable honor for SeaStar Medical. The foundation's initiatives have catalyzed significant healthcare breakthroughs, including the creation of the Medicare End-Stage Renal Disease benefit and the formulation of clinical practice guidelines that have elevated patient outcomes across the nation.

Eric Schlorff, CEO of SeaStar Medical, shared his appreciation for the award, highlighting the profound impact of QUELIMMUNE in saving children's lives and averting the need for long-term dialysis. With an estimated 35 million adults in the U.S. affected by kidney disease, SeaStar Medical's advancements represent a pivotal stride in confronting a pervasive and frequently undetected health issue.