A Genetically Modified Pig Kidney Helped a Patient Go Dialysis-Free for Nine Months
This experimental transplant marks the first reported use of a pig organ as a temporary solution before a human kidney transplant
A genetically modified pig kidney allowed a 66-year-old man with kidney failure to go dialysis-free for 271 days. After the pig kidney's function began to deteriorate, it was removed, and the patient subsequently received a human kidney from a deceased donor.
The results of this case were published in the medical journal The Lancet. The researchers consider it the first successful example of using a pig kidney as a "bridge" to a subsequent human organ transplant.
Transplantation as an Alternative to a Long Wait
The patient suffered from kidney failure due to type 2 diabetes and had been undergoing hemodialysis for two years prior to the surgery. He did not have a living donor, so he was on a posthumous transplant waiting list. The expected wait was over five years.
In January 2025, the patient received a kidney from a genetically modified pig. The organ was prepared using 69 genomic modifications aimed at increasing compatibility with the human body and reducing the risks associated with immune rejection and infection.
271 Days Without Dialysis
According to the researchers, the pig kidney began functioning immediately after transplantation. For 271 days, it provided the patient with sufficient kidney function, allowing him to do without hemodialysis.
Approximately nine months after the surgery, the transplant had to be stopped: the pig kidney began to fail and was subsequently removed. However, the patient did not develop antibodies to human tissue, which could significantly complicate a subsequent human organ transplant. No animal-borne infections were also detected.
From a Pig Organ to a Human One
After the pig kidney was removed, the patient received a kidney from a deceased human. The donor organ had exceptionally high tissue compatibility, allowing the transplant to be performed earlier than originally expected.
According to the researchers, human kidney function remains stable after the transplant.
The Potential for a Temporary Replacement of a Human Organ
The significance of this case lies beyond the longevity of the pig kidney. Researchers have demonstrated the feasibility of using a genetically modified animal organ as a temporary transplant for a patient awaiting a human kidney.
This approach could be valuable for patients with end-stage renal failure, who must spend years on waiting lists. However, the technology remains experimental and requires further study of its efficacy and safety.
Xenotransplantation—the transplantation of organs between different species—is being considered as a potential solution to the shortage of donor organs. The first transplant of a genetically modified pig kidney into a living human was performed in the United States in 2024. The patient survived 52 days with the transplant and later died of causes unrelated to the surgery.
