First gene-edited pig kidney transplanted into brain-dead human

In the study, published in the American Journal of Transplantation, UAB researchers tested the first preclinical model of transgenic pig kidneys transplanted into humans

"Together with our partners, we have made a significant investment in xenotransplantation for nearly a decade and look forward to the results announced today," said Selwyn Vickers, MD, dean of the UAB Heersink School of Medicine, UAB Health System and UAB/ Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance of Saint Vincent of Ascension

For the first time, transplanted pig kidneys were taken from genetically modified pigs that had 10 key gene edits that could make the kidneys suitable for transplantation into humans

"This game-changing moment in medicine represents a paradigm shift in the history of xenotransplantation and an important milestone in the field of xenotransplantation, which is arguably the best solution to the organ shortage crisis," said Jayme Locke, MD, director of the Comprehensive Transplant Institute at UAB Research surgery and lead surgeons

Gene editing of pigs to reduce immune rejection enables organ transplants from pigs to humans, which could help thousands of people facing organ failure, disease or injury

Transgenic pig kidneys have been extensively tested in non-human primates

"This human preclinical model is a way to assess the safety and feasibility of a pig-to-nonhuman primate model with no risk to living humans," Locke added

This effort was supported by biotech pioneer United Therapeutics, which awarded UAB a grant to initiate innovative xenotransplantation programs

"All of us are in awe of the historic achievement of Revivicor UAB with our clinical trials of 10-gene xenokidney, or UKidney," said Dr.

About this study

Considering that more than 800,000 Americans suffer from kidney failure, the peer-reviewed study is an ambitious and significant study

• The kidney was removed from a donated pig and housed in a pathogen-free, surgically clean facility

  
  

• Before surgery, brain-dead recipient and donor animals were cross-compatibility tested to determine whether the transgenic pig kidney and its intended recipient were a good tissue match

  
  

• Pig kidneys were placed in the same anatomical location as human donor kidneys, with renal arteries, renal veins, and ureters that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder

  
  

• Brain-dead recipients received standard immunosuppressive therapy used in human-to-human kidney transplantation

  
  

The study was designed to achieve standards directly comparable to Phase 1 human clinical trials, reflecting every step of the standard transplantation between humans

Urgent need for other organ donation options

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, more people die each year from kidney cancer than from breast or prostate cancer

The wait for a deceased donor kidney can be as long as 5 years, and in many states it is closer to 10 years
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About 5,000 people die each year while waiting for a kidney transplant
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Journal Reference :

1. Paige M.
   Porrett, Babak J.
   Orandi, Vineeta Kumar, Julie Houp, Douglas Anderson, A.
   Cozette Killian, Vera Hauptfeld‐Dolejsek, Dominque E.
   Martin, Sara Macedon, Natalie Budd, Katherine L.
   Stegner, Amy Dandro, Maria Kokkinaki , Kasinath V.
   Kuravi, Rhiannon D.
   Reed, Huma Fatima, John T.
   Killian, Gavin Baker, Jackson Perry, Emma D.
   Wright, Matthew D.
   Cheung, Elise N.
   Erman, Karl Kraebber, Tracy Gamblin, Linda Guy, James F.
   George, David Ayares, Jayme E.
   Locke.
   First clinical‐grade porcine kidney xenotransplant using a human decedent model .
   American Journal of Transplantation , 2022; DOI: 10.
   1111/ajt.
   16930