Tim Andrews Gets Human Kidney After Record 271 Days With Pig Organ
Updated
Updated · NBC News · Sep 4
Tim Andrews Gets Human Kidney After Record 271 Days With Pig Organ
3 articles · Updated · NBC News · Sep 4
Summary
271 days after receiving a pig kidney, Tim Andrews has now undergone a human kidney transplant, becoming the first reported patient to use a porcine kidney as a bridge to a human donor.
The Lancet findings said the pig kidney safely maintained renal function and kept the 68-year-old off dialysis throughout that period, a key proof point for xenotransplantation.
Mass General Brigham called it the longest dialysis-free survival after pig kidney transplantation in a living human; Andrews said the new donor kidney is "running perfect" and could leave him with decades of life.
More than 100,000 people are on the U.S. transplant waiting list, most needing kidneys, and doctors say pig organs could first shorten time on dialysis before potentially becoming a longer-term treatment.
After 69 precise genetic edits, why did this record-breaking pig kidney still suffer mysterious vascular failure after 271 days?
Could engineered animal organs completely eliminate the agonizing transplant waitlist, or are hidden viral risks simply too dangerous to ignore?
271 Days Without Dialysis: The Landmark Pig Kidney Xenotransplant That Bridged Tim Andrews to a Human Organ and Redefined Transplant Medicine
Overview
Tim Andrews, suffering from end-stage kidney disease and facing slim chances for a human transplant, became the first person to receive a genetically edited pig kidney as a temporary solution. The pig kidney, engineered with 69 CRISPR edits to prevent rejection and viral risks, worked immediately and allowed him to live dialysis-free for 271 days. However, a drug-resistant infection forced doctors to reduce his immunosuppression, leading to gradual organ rejection and removal. Importantly, the pig kidney did not trigger immune sensitization, enabling Andrews to later receive a successful human kidney transplant. This case demonstrates how xenotransplantation can bridge critically ill patients to human organ transplants.