NATIONAL KIDNEY REGISTRY LAUNCHES REVOLUTIONARY TRANSPORT CONTAINER FOR KIDNEYS

GREENWICH, Conn., June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- National Kidney Registry (NKR) is pleased to announce the nationwide rollout of the StrongBox®. The StrongBox® is a revolutionary medical-grade ice-based container developed to ensure the safe transportation of kidneys. Following the successful completion of a pilot program involving NKR's top 20 high-volume member centers, the StrongBox® has now been implemented across all 100+ NKR member centers, officially establishing it as a nationwide platform for shipped kidneys.

The first time a living donor kidney was transported by commercial airline was NKR's second swap, organized in 2008. There have been tremendous advancements in the field of paired kidney exchange since that first commercial flight move; however, kidney packaging has remained unchanged for decades. The new StrongBox® enhances the protection of kidneys shipped through NKR by eliminating the near misses associated with the legacy cardboard and Styrofoam packaging, including damaged containers, improperly sealed boxes, and leaking containers rejected by airlines.

"The StrongBox® is a game-changer for the safety and reliability of living donor kidney transport," said Amanda Leonberg-Yoo, MD, nephrologist and medical director of the Living Kidney Donor Program at the Penn Transplant Institute. "It ensures that kidneys arrive protected and uncompromised, giving patients the best possible chance for a successful transplant."

In support of environmental sustainability, NKR launched a reusability initiative last month in which StrongBoxes® are collected at member centers, sanitized, and prepared for reuse. Each StrongBox® is now able to support numerous kidney shipments.

"From transport logistics to usability, StrongBox® makes important improvements to the transplant process," said Karen Miller, RN, lead kidney transplant coordinator at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. "It brings a new level of confidence and consistency to moving living donor kidneys."

"Living kidney transplants provide the best outcomes for patients, and StrongBox® is purpose-built to protect these precious organs on their journey from living donors to waiting patients," said Garet Hil, Founder and CEO of the National Kidney Registry. "The StrongBox® is not an incremental improvement; it's a revolutionary new approach to ice-based organ transport that combines durability and precision to mitigate risk in transporting kidneys."

To inquire about StrongBox®, please contact the National Kidney Registry through their media contact form.

About NKR

The National Kidney Registry's mission is to save and improve the lives of people facing kidney failure by increasing the quality, speed, and number of living donor transplants in the world while protecting and supporting all living kidney donors. www.kidneyregistry.com

SOURCE National Kidney Registry