In a world first, a US patient has successfully undergone a temporary transplant of a genetically modified animal organ, living for nine months before receiving a human organ, reports infohub.kz.
Tim Andrews, 66, who suffered from end-stage kidney failure due to type 2 diabetes, lived without dialysis for a record 271 days thanks to a kidney from a genetically modified pig. The organ served as a bridge until a suitable human kidney from a deceased donor was found. This is the first documented case of a successful transition from an animal organ to a human one.
For the transplant, scientists used a kidney from a miniature Yucatan pig. Using CRISPR technology, they made 69 genetic modifications to reduce the risk of rejection by the human immune system and eliminate the transmission of porcine viruses. The surgery was performed at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The kidney immediately began functioning, allowing the patient to return to a normal life.
After six months, damage developed in the blood vessels of the transplanted organ, leading to gradual kidney failure, and after nine months it had to be removed. After a short course of dialysis, Andrews successfully received a human organ. Researchers confirmed that during the time the pig kidney was in his body, the patient developed no dangerous antibodies or infections that could have hindered the subsequent operation.
Doctors consider this case a significant breakthrough in addressing the global shortage of donor organs. The experience proved that xenotransplantation could become a reliable solution for critically ill patients who are forced to wait years for human organs on dialysis. The study results were published in the medical journal The Lancet.