Dialysis at home: How two UP graduates developed an affordable, handy treatment option for CKD patients

Andrew Jacob Buensalido and Allyson Cabresante showcase BiDaKidney, a semi-automated, low-cost, peritoneal dialysis machine that won the 2026 James Dyson Award. Photo by Ryan Franco VeranoMANILA – A typical Filipino with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has to spend hours in a hospital, visit multiple times a week and pay more than a thousand pesos to undergo dialysis.

But two graduates of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman have found a way to bring a home-friendly and affordable form of dialysis closer to Filipino patients. 

UP mechanical engineering graduates Andrew Jacob Buensalido and Allyson Cabrestante developed “BidaKidney,” a semi-automated, low-cost peritoneal dialysis machine that acts as an assistant tool for CKD patients. 

Unlike hemodialysis, which uses a machine and a special filter to clean the blood outside the body, peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of a patient’s abdomen as a natural filter to remove waste from the blood.

Cabrestante cited data from their study showing that, according to the Philippine Renal Disease Registry, 96 percent of the 180,000 Filipino dialysis patients undergo hemodialysis, while only 2 percent undergo peritoneal dialysis.

“Our ultimate goal for patients is for them to have BidaKidney, something they can take home or even to work, so they can realize the potential of peritoneal dialysis as a truly flexible, at-home treatment option,” Cabrestante told ABS-CBN News. 

Andrew Jacob Buensalido and Allyson Cabresante showcase BiDaKidney, a semi-automated, low-cost, peritoneal dialysis machine that won the 2026 James Dyson Award. Photo by Ryan Franco Verano

BidaKidney began as a capstone project by then-fourth-year students Buensalido and Cabrestante. What started as an academic requirement eventually became an attempt to address the challenges faced by patients with kidney disease.

The idea emerged after Buensalido’s sister, pediatric nephrologist Dr. Socorro Marie, described the difficulties patients face with home peritoneal dialysis.

Buensalido said they learned that patients must manually control fluid lines and weigh bags to closely monitor each three- to four-hour session multiple times a day. 

For low to middle-income households, the need to repeat the treatment several times a day at home can mean added financial strain on top of an already demanding medical routine.

As a result, the UP graduates created a compact peritoneal dialysis kit that delivers fresh dialysate to the patient and measures the amount of fluid transferred. 

“BiDaKidney is like having an assistant for the patient; instead of the patient having to do the weighing, BiDaKidney handles everything. It manages the weighing and fluid transfer processes, and also keeps track of the time,” Cabrestante said. 

Buensalido said that the raw materials for the first prototype cost around P6,000. However, he clarified that they are still exploring various mass production options to make it more accessible to Filipinos

“This price will still possibly go up or down depending on the medical clearance, how much that would cost, medical regulations, and compliance,” Buensalido said. 

Cabrestante said that, based on their recent market search, some existing peritoneal dialysis cyclers cost between P500,000 and P600,000. 

“And if you want to rent, the price is P100,000 to 150,000 per month. So it really isn’t affordable for most Filipinos,” he said. 

BidaKidney bagged the top prize at the 2026 James Dyson Awards Philippines. Buensalido and Cabresante’s innovation was also among the Top 20 entries shortlisted for the international competition. 

According to a Facebook post from the UP Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, the international winner will receive P2 million. 

Buensalido said the awards helped the team to bring the innovation to the public. 

“For future innovators that want to find a real-world problem, perhaps the advice we can give is that there is still value in providing a simple, elegant solution over something that’s bleeding edge or always the newest technology,” he said.