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| Breakthrough: Monkey Thrives with Gene-Edited Pig Kidney for Over Two Years |
In a groundbreaking study, a monkey has defied expectations by living for more than two years with a kidney from a gene-edited pig. This achievement represents a significant step towards addressing the pressing organ shortage crisis, but the majority of other monkeys in the study saw a median survival time of only about six months following transplantation.
Xenotransplantation 101: In the United States, approximately 104,000 people are awaiting organ transplants, and tragically, around 6,200 of them will not receive the life-saving organs they need in time. Xenotransplantation, the transplantation of organs from one species (e.g., pigs) to another (e.g., humans), offers a futuristic solution to this organ shortage. Thanks to advancements in gene editing technology, researchers are finally making headway in this challenging field.
More than 85% of individuals on the US transplant waiting list are in need of new kidneys.
Using cutting-edge techniques such as CRISPR, scientists are introducing precise modifications to the DNA of pigs to enhance the compatibility of their organs with the human body. Notably, last year, a man with terminal heart disease survived for two months after receiving a heart transplant from a gene-edited pig, and another man has now lived for three weeks and counting with a heart from a similar gene-edited pig.
Pig hearts have also functioned normally for several days in the bodies of two individuals who were brain-dead at the time of the transplant, thanks to their families' willingness to donate their bodies for scientific research. Gene-edited pig kidneys have worked for as long as 61 days when transplanted into brain-dead patients.
What's New: While these developments are promising, the ultimate goal is to make organs from other species function effectively for years. A study published by biotech company eGenesis on October 11 offers hope in this direction. Researchers at eGenesis made 69 genetic edits to pig genomes to increase the likelihood of long-term organ function in humans. Among these edits, three disabled pig genes, seven added human genes, and the rest deactivated latent pig viruses that could potentially cause complications.
When kidneys from these gene-edited pigs were transplanted into 15 monkeys who had their own kidneys removed, nine of them lived for at least 50 days, with five surpassing a year, and one reaching an astonishing 758 days of survival. The median survival time stood at 176 days.
"We anticipate that transplant outcomes in humans will be even more favorable," said study co-author Tatsuo Kawai, a professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School.
Not Quite Record-Breaking: While the success of keeping a pig kidney functioning in a monkey for over two years is impressive, most animals in the trial did not survive beyond a year. It's important to note that kidneys from human donors typically last 20-25 years, underscoring the need for further research to ensure the long-term viability of xenotransplantation recipients.
Looking Ahead: With over 85% of people on the US transplant waiting list in need of new kidneys, sourcing them from gene-edited pigs holds immense potential. Though eGenesis is still in the preclinical phase of research, these primate study results bring them closer to satisfying the FDA's requirements for a clinical trial.
Michael Curtis, eGenesis's CEO, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "There simply aren't enough kidneys to go around. In our opinion, it's the only near-term viable solution."
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