Biotech Nephrogen combines AI and gene therapy to reverse kidney disease — check it out at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

Demetri Maxim's journey into the world of biotechnology began at a young age when his mother faced severe kidney issues, requiring dialysis multiple times a week. Although she ultimately received a transplant and returned to a semblance of normalcy, the family’s battle with kidney disease was far from over. Tragically, Maxim inherited Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), a genetic condition that affects approximately 10% of the one in seven Americans suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Determined to find a solution, Maxim’s passion for addressing this ailment intensified during his high school years. His pivotal moment arrived in 2021 when a groundbreaking study published in Nature Magazine demonstrated the potential for reversing PKD in mice through CRISPR technology. At the time, Maxim was pursuing a graduate degree in computational biology at Stanford, where he also collaborated on kidney research with professor Vivek Bhalla. Convinced that gene therapy could be a game-changer for PKD, Maxim faced a significant obstacle: developing an effective method to deliver the gene-editing drugs directly to the affected kidney cells. To tackle this challenge, he founded Nephrogen in 2022. The startup leverages artificial intelligence and advanced screening techniques to create a specialized delivery system aimed at precisely targeting diseased cells in the kidney. Nephrogen has recently gained recognition as one of the 20 finalists in the Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. After three years of meticulous development, Maxim asserts that the company has succeeded in creating a delivery mechanism that outperforms existing FDA-approved methods by 100 times in transporting therapeutic agents to the kidneys. Looking ahead, Nephrogen is poised to move its innovative delivery system and its newly developed drug into clinical trials, expected to commence in 2027. To facilitate this process, the company is actively seeking to raise $4 million in seed funding. Maxim, who intimately understands the challenges of living with PKD, plans to participate in the clinical trial himself. He candidly shared the impact of the disease, citing chronic back pain and frequent hospital visits, as well as the limitations of current medications. The stakes are high for Maxim and Nephrogen, as their breakthrough could not only change his life but also offer hope to countless others battling PKD. For those interested in learning more about Nephrogen and other innovative pitches, the TechCrunch Disrupt event will take place from October 27 to 29 in San Francisco.