Multi-organ xenotransplant from pig to human successfully tested

Researchers have achieved a medical milestone by performing the first orthotopic multi-organ xenotransplant from a pig to a human. The procedure, known as Combined Liver-Kidney Transplantation (CLKT), involved the simultaneous transplantation of genetically modified porcine liver and kidneys into a 53-year-old patient who was brain dead.

To prevent immediate immune rejection and unregulated coagulation, scientists utilized advanced genetic engineering to edit six specific porcine genes. These modifications silenced antigens that trigger human immune attacks and expressed human regulatory proteins. During a five-day monitoring period, the transplanted organs maintained basic physiological functions, including bile production and toxin filtration, without showing signs of hyperacute rejection.