First Pig Kidney Transplant in a Person: What it Means for the Future

The first successful transplant of a pig kidney into a human, performed on a 62-year-old man named Richard Slayman with end-stage renal failure, has ignited optimism among researchers for expanded clinical trials involving pig organs. Slayman is reported to be recovering well following the surgery on March 16, with the kidney sourced from a miniature pig engineered with a record 69 genomic edits to minimize rejection and virus transmission risks.

The biotech firm behind the genetically modified pigs notes that the case demonstrates the short-term safety and functionality of these organs. eGenesis is currently in talks with the US FDA to plan clinical trials for transplanted pig kidneys, pediatric hearts, and pig livers designed for external connection to recipients. Read more from Nature here.