Last month, surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a 66-year-old man with kidney failure, marking the fourth pig kidney transplant in the United States. The new clinical trial, sanctioned by the FDA, aims to address the acute shortage of human donor organs that leaves over 100,000 people on waiting lists for transplants, especially for kidneys.
The patient, Tim Andrews, had been on dialysis for over two years and was wheel-chair bound until he underwent the surgery in late January. Following the transplant, Andrews reported feeling better than he had in years, describing it as having a “new engine” of energy. Meanwhile, another patient, Towana Looney, who received a pig kidney in November, is also doing well and plans to return home soon.
The pig organs used in the transplants have undergone extensive gene editing to reduce the risk of rejection and infection in humans. Although there have been previous cases where patients died shortly after the procedure, researchers at Mass General remain optimistic about the potential of genetically edited pig organs as a long-term solution for patients in need of transplants.
Aside from this trial, another study sponsored by United Therapeutics Corporation is set to begin later this year with the possibility of eventually expanding to 50 patients. While the cost and insurance coverage of pig organ transplants remain uncertain, the success of these initial cases provides hope for those on waiting lists for organ transplants and highlights the ongoing progress in the field of genetic engineering and organ transplantation.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
