Development of topical products for uremic pruritu

Topical Ointment for Uremic Pruritus and Fistula Patency Maintenance

Each year, Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) pays over NT$85 billion for dialysis patients. Among these, the patency of dialysis fistulas is crucial for the patient's survival. Due to fistula blockage, patients often need to repeatedly change their access sites, and eventually, they may face a situation where they can no longer undergo surgery to install a new dialysis fistula, leading to life-threatening consequences. In addition, dialysis patients often suffer from uremic pruritus caused by toxin buildup, which severely impacts their sleep quality. Scratching can result in skin breakdown and bleeding, leaving the body in poor condition. Currently, due to unclear mechanisms, the use of moisturizing ointments alone cannot suppress the itching. Sometimes, additional treatments like UV therapy, nerve excision, psychiatric medication, or even surgical removal of affected areas are required, which only adds to the torment for dialysis patients. At present, there is no effective topical product available in clinical practice to control this condition.

In April 2024, the company developed a topical ointment for uremic pruritus and fistula patency maintenance by extracting ingredients from plants approved for consumption by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. After trials and evaluations by nephrology and vascular specialists at a medical center, the ointment was initially found to be beneficial to patients. To provide formal clinical trial evidence for the topical ointment, the company signed a contract in February 2025 to conduct a human clinical trial, with 165 patients expected to be enrolled. Once completed, the results, in compliance with government regulations and privacy laws, will be used for discussions with domestic and international distributors. This is expected to significantly contribute to the company's revenue in the future.