China Achieves Breakthroughs in Pig Organ Transplants

Chinese doctors successfully transplanted a pig kidney into a living patient and a pig liver into a brain-dead human, marking major advancements in xenotransplantation research.

A 69-year-old woman in China is recovering well three weeks after receiving a genetically modified pig kidney, the third successful case of its kind worldwide.
In a separate world-first, Chinese researchers transplanted a pig liver into a brain-dead human, with the organ functioning for ten days without rejection before the experiment was concluded at the family's request.
The pig organs were genetically modified at six locations to minimize the risk of immune rejection, a key step in advancing xenotransplantation techniques.
These transplants highlight the potential of pig organs as both bridge therapies for temporary organ failure and long-term solutions to the global organ donor shortage.
Experts emphasize that while these milestones are significant, further research is needed to address long-term viability and routine clinical application of pig organ transplants.