Gene-edited pig liver transplanted into human for first time in Chinese hospital

A Chinese medical team has successfully completed the world’s first transplant of a gene-edited pig liver into a brain-dead human, with the organ showing good physiological function, state media reported.

The liver of a pig with six genetic edits was transplanted into a brain-dead human whose basic bodily functions were still being maintained.

A research team from Xijing Hospital and other institutions, led by Dou Kefeng, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, conducted the transplant, retaining the recipient’s own liver to simulate support therapy for patients with clinical liver failure.

“We observed that the transplanted gene-edited pig liver can perform physiological functions in the human body, secreting bile normally, with good blood supply and pathological results,” said Dou.

No hyperacute rejection or transmission of porcine endogenous retrovirus to humans was detected during the 10-day observation period.

The procedure comes weeks after Chinese researchers successfully transplanted a gene-engineered pig kidney into a uremic patient.

A medical team from Xijing Hospital of the Air Force Medical University transplanted a gene-edited pig kidney into a 69-year-old woman with end-stage kidney disease on March 6.

Multiple gene-edited pig heart and kidney transplants have been reported worldwide in recent years.