Tim Andrews, a 66-year-old patient with end-stage kidney disease, received a genetically modified pig kidney transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital. This is only the second instance of such a xenotransplant, authorized by the FDA as part of a study involving three patients. After years on dialysis, Andrews's new kidney is functioning well, providing hope for others on the transplant waiting list. The genetic modification making this possible involves advanced techniques like CRISPR to enhance compatibility and reduce rejection risks, highlighting ongoing efforts to alleviate kidney shortages in the U.S.
According to the transplant team, Andrews had just a 9% chance of receiving a human kidney in the next five years... revealing the gap between demand and supply.
The hope is that pig kidneys could help ease the organ-shortage problem in the U.S., as nearly 90,000 people were waiting for a kidney.
The company that created the kidney, eGenesis, removed three major pig proteins, introduced seven human genes, and disabled certain viruses to enhance compatibility.
Doctors say the transplanted pig kidney is functioning normally and producing urine, marking a significant step toward addressing organ shortages.
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