Moonstone Nutrition, a Pittsburgh-based startup that has developed products to prevent kidney stone formation and promote overall kidney health, announced receipt of an investment from the Accelerator Fund II, LLC., an organization sponsored and managed by the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse that makes early stage investments in life sciences companies located in western Pennsylvania and outside the region.  
 
Moonstone's patented alkali citrate formula, created by top kidney doctors, is an over-the-counter (OTC) beverage designed with ingredients known to prevent the formation of kidney stones.
 
An estimated 30 million people in the US either currently have, or have had, kidney stones, and that number is rising. Kidney stones cause excruciating pain, accounting for about 500,000 emergency room visits every year. Once you have a stone, your chances of having another within five to 10 years is about 70%. Until now, the best prevention options have been hard-to-swallow prescription drugs and a very restrictive diet.  Moonstone's kidney stone experts designed the OTC beverage with ingredients known to prevent the formation of kidney stones.
 
Moonstone's patented formula contains clinically significant amounts of citrate-as-alkali to increase urine citrate and pH. These ingredients make the kidneys less hospitable to the formation of kidney stones.
 
Moonstone has also partnered with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) to raise awareness about the prevalence of kidney stones and the importance of overall kidney health. For decades, NKF has been a leader in the fight against kidney disease.  One in three adults in the US is at risk for developing kidney disease due to a number of factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or family history.  The new partnership between Moonstone and NKF will bring kidney health to the forefront of education, by providing both patients and doctors with practical resources that encourage prevention, early detection, and effective treatment options.