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It has been over six months since receiving a pig kidney transplant. Still, the patient remains healthy.

This is the story of Tim Andrews, 67 years old, who received a genetically modified pig kidney transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the United States last January.

On the 8th, the international academic journal *Nature* reported that Andrews has been living healthily for over six months since receiving the pig kidney transplant. This is also the longest record of survival after receiving a pig organ transplant.

The academic community has responded that this incident could serve as a significant milestone in the technology of xenotransplantation, the so-called transplantation of animal organs into humans.

◇ Survived Over Six Months After Pig Kidney Transplant

Tim Andrews had been suffering from end-stage renal failure. If the kidneys do not function properly, waste products accumulate in the blood, leading to imbalances in water and salt levels, causing severe swelling and even difficulty breathing. If potassium accumulates, it can lead to acute cardiac arrest. This is why dialysis is necessary. Andrews had been receiving dialysis for over two years, but his symptoms continued to worsen.

After much deliberation, the medical team decided to utilize the ‘Compassionate Use’ system. Compassionate Use refers to the exceptional use of unapproved new drugs or medical technologies for patients when no other treatment options are available. They decided to transplant a genetically modified pig kidney into Andrews. Pig organs are commonly used in transplant surgeries due to their similarity in size to human organs.

The medical team first performed gene editing to remove three antigens in the pig kidney that cause rejection in humans and added seven human genes. This was done to reduce the risk of inflammation, bleeding, and complications that may arise after surgery.

The transplant surgery was successful, and Andrews has been living without dialysis ever since. *Nature* wrote, “The first six months after a transplant are typically the most dangerous period for patients,” and added, “Since Andrews has surpassed six months, the probability of complications such as transplant rejection or anemia has significantly decreased.” The academic community believes that if Andrews survives beyond 12 months post-transplant, the surgery’s prognosis can be considered successful.

The previous record holder for the longest survival with a transplanted pig organ was Tonya and Rooney, a 53-year-old American woman. She lived with the pig kidney transplant for four months and nine days but had to have the organ removed earlier this year due to an immune rejection response.

◇ Is the Use of Pig Organs Becoming a Reality?

The academic community is encouraged by Andrews’ case. They say, “We have come one step closer to the day when the use of pig organs becomes a reality.”

eGenesis, the U.S. biotech company that provided the organ transplanted into Andrews, recently offered a pig kidney to another patient, Bill Stewart, 54 years old. Stewart’s surgery was also successful, and he will mark his third month of survival on the 14th. *Nature* stated, “The fact that two patients who received animal organ transplants have survived this long itself demonstrates the advancement of xenotransplantation surgery.”

Research on pig organ transplants continues to progress actively. Recently, there has been a trend of formal clinical trials being approved. Earlier this year, the U.S. FDA approved a clinical trial for genetically modified pig kidneys conducted by United Therapeutics, a bio company based in Maryland and North Carolina. This was the first approval of a clinical trial using genetically modified pig kidneys. eGenesis also received FDA approval this week and has begun a clinical trial for pig kidney transplants targeting up to 33 patients with end-stage renal failure aged 50 or older.

※ This article has been translated by Upstage Solar AI.