The first experiments in xenotransplantation took place in the 17th century.
67-year-old Tim Andrews, a resident of New Hampshire, USA, has set a new world record for living with a genetically modified pig kidney. The transplanted organ spent a record 271 days in his body, according to CNN.
Since the 1990s, Andrews has suffered from diabetes, and three years ago he was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease. In January 2025, doctors performed an experimental kidney transplant, with which Andrews lived for nearly ten months. However, over time, the organ began to lose its necessary functions, and ultimately it had to be removed. Now, Andrews is on dialysis and awaiting his turn for a kidney transplant from a human donor.
Andrews is already the fourth patient to undergo a kidney transplant from a genetically modified pig. Genetic modifications were made to reduce the likelihood of organ rejection – the so-called graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) and other complications. The procedure was described by the man as a miracle, explaining that when he regained consciousness after the operation, he felt full of energy again.
Earlier, information emerged about a similar experiment conducted in China: there, a human was the first in the world to receive a liver transplant from a GMO pig. The patient, who had previously suffered from liver cancer – hepatocellular carcinoma – lived with the transplanted organ for nearly 40 days, but ultimately rejection began, and the man passed away.
Nevertheless, researchers consider the operation successful, as it confirmed the ability of pig livers to perform essential functions in the human body. The authors of the study noted that this experience opens up possibilities for addressing the problem of donor organ shortages and emphasized the need for continued research.
Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of organs from one biological species to another. This seems absurd, immoral, and even contradicts religious beliefs for many. However, xenotransplantation is a viable and promising direction in modern science that may save many lives in the future.
Xenotransplantation is not a new field in science. The first experiments in interspecies blood transfusion date back to the 17th century. A breakthrough in xenotransplantation came from the work of scientists at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Cardiac Thoracic Surgery Research Program in the USA. They successfully transplanted genetically modified pig hearts into baboons, and the new organs functioned for over a year.
