OPTIMISING KIDNEY EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES
Kepsoft collaborative is the first social enterprise to spinout from the university. Their mission is to help save lives by providing software and services to better match kidney patients with donors.
In the intricate web of healthcare and life-saving medical procedures, kidney transplants are often a crucial procedure for those suffering from renal disease.
A transplant can signify a return to quality of life. The challenge arises when a patient has a willing but incompatible donor. KEPsoft works to solve this problem with a sophisticated software solution designed to optimise kidney exchange programmes (KEPs) – enabling improved access to national and international kidney exchange. KEPsoft is a testament to how computational skill can make tangible differences to people’s lives.
Between 2008 - 2024, it is estimated the algorithms led to 600 more kidney transplants taking place, compared to the estimated number that would have occurred had the previous algorithms continued to be used. Markets ripe for KEPsoft’s deployment are primarily Transplantation Organisations (TOs) across Europe. Spain, Italy, and Hungary’s national TOs are already set to evaluate KEPsoft, with ambitions to extend its services to the UK and potentially beyond European borders.
contact: innovation@glasgow.ac.uk
THE TEAM
KEPsoft is the brainchild of the Computing Science department at the University of Glasgow. The Company CEO, with personal experience as a renal transplantee, provides strategic insight from his background in global healthcare. The team CTO has a wealth of knowledge as a mathematician, algorithmicist, and software engineer and their Scientific Adviser, has been pivotal in developing algorithms for the UK’s KEP since 2007.
Team names above left to right:
Sheena MacCormick (University of Glasgow IP&C team), Dr William Pettersson (CTO), ViJay Luthra (CEO), Professor David Manlove (Scientific Advisor) and Natasha Tian (University of Glasgow, MVLS)
MEDTECH INNOVATION FUND SUPPORT
The journey of KEPsoft towards medical device certification has been significantly bolstered by the MedTech Innovation funding. The fund has facilitated the engagement of specialist consultants to assist with key regulatory requirements, including a Technical File and a Quality Management System, facilitating time to market de-risking the proposition for partners.
FINAL OVERVIEW
KEPsoft stands out not just for its technological prowess but also for its social impact. It paves the way for more patients to find compatible donors and receive the transplants that could save their lives.
For more information: kepsoft.org