A 67-year-old New Hampshire man has achieved a medical milestone after living more than nine months with a gene-edited pig kidney, doctors announced Monday.
The experimental transplant, performed by surgeons at Mass General Brigham, lasted 271 days—the longest anyone has survived with an animal organ.
Doctors said Tim Andrews of Concord, New Hampshire, had the transplanted kidney removed on October 23 after it began losing function. He has since resumed dialysis while remaining on the national kidney transplant list.
Andrews is “a selfless medical pioneer and an inspiration” to patients with kidney failure, his transplant team told The Associated Press.
Advancing Xenotransplantation Research
The case is helping scientists explore the future of xenotransplantation—transplanting animal organs into humans—a field researchers hope could eventually address the nation’s chronic organ shortage.
Earlier attempts to use pig organs in humans, including two hearts and two kidneys, were short-lived. However, by selecting healthier patients for these trials, outcomes have improved, The Associated Press reported.
An Alabama woman’s pig kidney transplant lasted 130 days earlier this year, a record that Andrews has now surpassed.
The Organ Shortage Crisis
More than 100,000 people in the United States are currently awaiting organ transplants, with the majority needing kidneys.
Thousands die annually before a donor match becomes available.
Andrews, whose blood type is difficult to match, volunteered for Mass General’s pilot study after learning about the experimental option. His doctors said he worked to improve his fitness before qualifying for the procedure.
Ongoing Research
In June, the Mass General team performed another pig kidney transplant on a second New Hampshire man, who continues to do well. A third and final transplant in the study is expected later this year, The Associated Press reported.
Two biotechnology companies, eGenesis and United Therapeutics, are also preparing to launch larger clinical trials focused on pig kidney transplants.
International Progress
Internationally, surgeons in China have reported advances in the field, including a pig kidney transplant earlier this year and a pig liver transplant that lasted 38 days before removal.
Andrews’ case represents significant progress in xenotransplantation research, offering hope that animal organs could eventually become a viable solution for the thousands of patients waiting for life-saving transplants. While challenges remain, each successful case provides valuable data that brings researchers closer to making this experimental treatment a standard medical option.