Patient lived with world's first pig kidney transplant for nine months before getting human organ
The case set a record 271 days off dialysis and eased concerns that a pig kidney could complicate a later human transplant.
- 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.
243 Articles
243 Articles
Man receives human kidney transplant after surviving 271 days with gene-edited pig organ
Andrews was 66, had end-stage kidney disease, no suitable living donor, and a long anticipated wait time for a deceased donor when he underwent surgery in 2025 to receive a kidney from a pig.
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.
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