25 August 2026

For patients living with end-stage lung disease, a lung transplant represents the only chance for long-term survival. Currently, there are approximately 300 patients (1) in the UK alone waiting for a lung transplant. Yet one of the greatest challenges facing transplant programs worldwide is the limited availability of donor lungs suitable for transplantation. This shortage leads to prolonged waiting times (currently 18 months in the UK alone (1)), leaving many patients without access to the life-saving treatment they urgently need.

Traditionally, only 15-20% (2) of donated lungs meet the strict criteria required for transplantation. As a result, many potentially viable organs are declined, further reducing the already limited donor pool and contributing to avoidable patient mortality.

Advanced ex vivo organ perfusion (EVOP) technology is helping to change this landscape. By maintaining donor lungs outside the body in a carefully controlled physiological environment, these systems allow transplant teams to thoroughly evaluate organ function and, in many cases, rehabilitate lungs that may previously have been considered unsuitable for transplantation. This innovative approach has the potential to significantly expand the number of transplantable donor lungs, giving more patients the opportunity to receive a transplant when they need it most.

As the adoption of ex vivo organ perfusion continues to grow, ensuring the long-term reliability and availability of this critical technology has become increasingly important. Robust system infrastructure is essential to support consistent performance, maintain clinical confidence, and ensure transplant centres can continue delivering this advanced therapy without interruption.

We are helping a client design and develop essential system infrastructure that focusses on strengthening that foundation by developing the essential infrastructure needed to support the ongoing reliability, sustainability, and availability of ex vivo organ perfusion systems. By investing in the technology that underpins modern transplant care, the project helps safeguard continued access to this life-saving therapy for patients.

Ultimately, expanding access to donor lungs is about more than technological innovation, it is about giving patients a greater chance of receiving a timely transplant and improving outcomes for those facing end-stage lung disease. Supporting the long-term resilience of advanced organ perfusion technology is a vital step toward increasing transplant opportunities and helping save more lives.

1. Receiving a lung - Organ transplantation - NHS Blood and Transplant
2. OBM Transplantation | Lung Donor Selection and Management: An Updated Review