Boston Surgeons Successfully Transplant Pig Kidney in Fourth Patient
By India Edwards HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Feb. 10, 2025 -- Surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital have successfully performed the fourth pig kidney transplant in the U.S.
The recipient of the genetically modified pig organ was a 66-year-old man with kidney failure, surgeons said.
The transplant, performed in late January, came shortly after a woman in Alabama received a transplanted, gene-edited pig kidney, and it marks a major step in efforts to address a critical nationwide shortage of donor organs.
The latest transplant was part of a new clinical trial approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) testing whether genetically modified pig organs can work long-term in human patients.
The recipient, Tim Andrews of Concord, N.H., spent more than two years on dialysis before the transplant surgery, The New York Times reported.
He suffered a heart attack shortly after starting dialysis. Hourslong treatments every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday left him feeling fatigued and nauseous most of the time, according to the report. By August, when he began discussing a transplant with doctors at Mass General, he was relying on a wheelchair.
His doctors advised him he had to get in better shape for the surgery, so he started doing physical therapy and walking.
Just one week after receiving the pig kidney, Andrews was well enough to leave the hospital.
“It’s like a new engine -- suddenly I had an energy machine pouring into me,” Andrews told The Times.
“When I got out of the recovery room and went to the intensive care unit, I actually tap-danced between the table and my bed,” he added. “I’m so happy, it’s unbelievable.”
If pig organ transplants prove to be safe and effective, questions remain about their cost and insurance coverage.
Most kidney failure patients are unable to work and rely on Medicare, but it’s unclear if Medicare or private insurance will cover pig kidney transplants in the future.
More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for organ transplants. Most need kidneys.
Many people die before getting one due to the shortage of human donor organs.
To help bridge the gap, several biotech companies have been genetically modifying pigs so their organs are less likely to be rejected by the human body.
The kidney Andrews received came from a pig that had 69 gene edits, including 59 changes to reduce the risk of viral infections, The Times reported.
The clinical trial, which is using pig kidneys developed by eGenesis, is one of numerous FDA-approved studies exploring the potential of using animal organs in human patients.
Another trial, sponsored by United Therapeutics Corporation, is to begin later this year.
While Andrews and another patient, Towana Looney of Alabama, have recovered well after receiving pig kidneys, two other recipients died shortly after their procedures last year.
One of them, Lisa Pisano of New Jersey, had her transplant in New York using a pig kidney developed by United Therapeutics Corporation.
The other, Rick Slayman of Massachusetts, received an eGenesis kidney at Mass General and died two months later.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Tatsuo Kawai, the lead surgeon involved in the operations at Mass General, said doctors were constantly learning.
The goal? “To make genetically edited pig organs a viable, long-term solution for patients,” Kawai said in a statement to The Times. “Although we have a long way to go to make that a reality, this transplant is an important next step.”
Sources
- The New York Times, media report, Feb. 7, 2025
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted February 2025
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