When the level of blood potassium blood rises beyond the point of normality, this is known as hyperkalaemia. If left untreated, patients could be in in real danger of developing cardiac arrythmia. They need prompt treatment to avoid hospitalisation, and potentially even death in extreme cases.

Physicians see hyperkalaemia as a frustrating complication of chronic kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes and heart failure. It’s particularly common in these conditions as a side effect of treatment with RAASi (renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system inhibitors). Current treatments for hyperkalaemia remove ions in addition to potassium, potentially causing electrolyte disturbances. By contrast, LOKELMA uses a unique lattice structure to preferentially capture potassium ions and maintain normal levels in the blood for up to one year.

Historically, this category of medical animation has been uninspiring, very literally depicting what goes on inside the body. W2O, however, saw this as an opportunity to shake things up with an unexpected approach.

Inside the small intestine a bustling cityscape exists, with characters going about their respective days and the local biosystem in full swing. We see potassium ions naturally absorb into the surface, keeping the street clear for the city’s inhabitants. But danger looms overhead and excess potassium falls suddenly from the sky, wreaking havoc. To clean up the mess, a garbage-esque truck arrives. This contraption attempts to restore order by sweeping up everything in its path, but it soon becomes clear that this isn’t an efficient solution. We focus in on a single potassium ion. The ion flinches as an unseen force pulls it skywards, eventually slotting neatly into a high-tech lattice structure. Other excess potassium ions swiftly follow suit, in a beautifully precise sequence. The lattices unload their potassium into sleek LOKEMLA-ships, which fly gracefully through the skies and lead us out of the city as order is restored.