Pig hearts transplanted into brain-dead patients at NYU
Doctors at NYU Langone Health are taking a significant step towards solving the human organ shortage by testing the transplantation of pig organs into brain-dead patients. The groundbreaking research is offering hope to more than 100,000 Americans who are currently on the waiting list for a new organ.
The Massachusetts-based company eGenesis has been at the forefront of this research, announcing on Wednesday that they have successfully kept a monkey alive for two years with a pig kidney, marking the longest survival of an animal with an organ from a different species. The experiment involved using pigs born with 69 gene edits, the largest number ever used to reduce the risk of rejection and improve survival rates.
Pigs have long been seen as a viable source of human organs due to their biological similarities. However, the distinct genetics of each species have proven to be a barrier to successful transplantation. Until recently, only identical twins were able to receive organs from one another without immune-suppressing medication. But with advancements in gene-editing techniques like CRISPR, the possibility of crossing the species barrier is becoming a reality.
At the University of Maryland, researchers have already performed pig heart transplants on two patients. The second patient, 58-year-old Lawrence Faucette, is recovering from heart failure and undergoing physical therapy following the successful surgery. The previous patient survived for two months with a pig heart, but his poor health hindered his recovery. Doctors are optimistic that Faucette will have a better outcome.
Meanwhile, at NYU Langone Health, doctors have been testing pig kidney transplants in brain-dead patients. Maurice Miller, a 57-year-old patient diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor, was sustained for over two months with a pig kidney while a heart-lung machine circulated his blood. These experiments pave the way for more patients to receive viable transplants.
Mike Curtis, CEO of eGenesis, believes that pig-to-human transplants are the most realistic solution to the organ shortage crisis. With over 100,000 Americans awaiting organs, particularly kidneys, living donors are limited in number. Using pig organs could greatly expand the pool of potential donors and save numerous lives.
While the recent research in cynomolgus monkeys is a significant milestone, there are still concerns about the long-term effects of modifying so many genes at once. Dr. Adam Griesemer, a transplant surgeon at NYU Langone, cautions that the function of these genes in humans may differ from that observed in monkeys. Nevertheless, the findings published in the journal “Nature” have paved the way for further exploration and potential clinical trials.
Ethical considerations regarding animal rights have been raised, as pigs used for transplants are killed, along with the monkeys used in research. However, many ethicists justify these actions due to the importance of saving human lives.
Dr. Muhammad Mohiuddin, who leads the animal-to-human transplant program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, believes that the time has come for regulators to allow trials for animal-to-human organ transplants. He argues that clinical trials involving patients who have no other treatment options will contribute to our understanding of this groundbreaking procedure and unleash its full potential.
The successful transplantation of pig organs into brain-dead patients opens new doors for addressing the organ shortage crisis. Although many challenges still lie ahead, the prospect of using animal donors brings hope to thousands of patients and their families, transforming the field of organ transplantation and saving countless lives.
Contact Karen Weintraub at [email protected].