Richard Slayman, 62, became the first individual to receive a kidney transplant from a genetically modified pig at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Although initially, doctors believed that the transplant would extend his life by at least two years, unfortunately, Mr. Slayman passed away just two months after the surgery on May 11. The team of doctors expressed their deep sadness upon hearing the news of his death and have yet to determine the exact cause of his passing.
Using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, scientists at eGenesis Bio genetically modified a pig kidney to be compatible with humans. They edited 68 pig DNA to prevent rejection of the transplant and removed three genes from the surface of pig cells that could be targeted by the human immune system. Additionally, retroviruses that could infect humans were neutralized. Mr. Slayman was discharged from the hospital in March following this groundbreaking procedure.
While Mr. Slayman is the first person to be discharged from the hospital after such a procedure, previous attempts at pig kidney transplants into brain-dead individuals were unsuccessful. In 2018, he received a kidney transplant using conventional methods but started showing signs of damage last year and needed dialysis. When complications arose from dialysis, doctors recommended a pig kidney transplant.
In April, another individual named Lisa Pisano from New Jersey also received a genetically modified pig kidney following Mr. Slayman’s successful surgery. The family of Mr. Slayman expressed their gratitude to the doctors involved in xenotransplantation and credited them for providing them with seven extra weeks with Rick
