Patient lived with world's first pig kidney transplant for nine months before getting human organ
- On Thursday, a patient at Massachusetts General Hospital reached a record-setting 285 days living with a genetically edited pig kidney without needing dialysis. Cambridge-based biotech company eGenesis confirmed the organ, modified using Crispr gene editing, remains fully functional.
- Dr. Leonardo Riella, medical director for kidney transplantation at Mass General Brigham, views xenotransplantation as a temporary "bridge" to help patients avoid dialysis. The procedure addresses a critical shortage: more than 95,000 Americans currently wait for a human kidney.
- Tim Andrews, a 66-year-old from New Hampshire, previously held the record at 271 days with a pig kidney. Andrews called the transplant a "miracle" that gave him "hope," though he later needed dialysis before receiving a human donor organ.
- A study published in The Lancet identified that Andrews' pig kidney failed due to thrombotic microangiopathy—tiny blood clots in the organ. Doctors are adjusting immunosuppressant medications and refining protocols based on these findings to improve outcomes for future recipients.
- The FDA has authorized eGenesis to conduct formal trials in up to 33 patients with kidney failure beginning in 2027. Researchers aim to establish pig-to-human transplantation as a long-term destination therapy, not merely a temporary bridge.
238 Articles
238 Articles
A new record has been set, bringing hope to patients waiting for a donor. An American man lived for 271 days on a pig's kidney before being transplanted with a human organ, and doctors now believe pig organs could be used as a "bridge" in transplants.
Pig kidney functions for record 271 days inside man awaiting human transplant
Researchers say the success story of Tim Andrews shows how pig kidneys can help “bridge the gap between end-stage kidney failure and a human transplant, allowing a patient to forgo dialysis."
Scientists keep a human alive with a genetically engineered pig liver
Researchers successfully implanted a genetically modified pig liver into a human, proving that such an organ can function for an extended period. The graft supported essential liver processes before complications required its removal. Although the patient ultimately passed away, the experiment demonstrates both the potential and the complexity of xenotransplantation. Experts believe this could reshape the future of organ replacement.
Medical First: Man Lives for 9 Months with Pig Kidney While Waiting for Human Donor
Tim Andrews spent 271 days living with a genetically modified pig kidney before receiving a human kidney transplant in January, giving new hope to patients struggling with dialysis, according to a paper published Thursday in the Lancet.
Genetically modified pig kidney helps 66-year-old US man stay off dialysis for record nine months
A genetically modified pig kidney kept a 66-year-old man with end-stage kidney disease off dialysis for a record nine months before he received a human donor kidney. The case marks the first reported transition from a pig kidney transplant to a human kidney transplant.
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