Xenotransplantation of a Porcine Kidney for End-Stage Kidney Disease

This brief report describes the first clinical case of a gene edited porcine kidney xenotransplant in a 62 year old man with end stage kidney disease and limited dialysis access. The xenograft, engineered with 69 genomic edits (including deletion of glycan antigens and insertion of human transgenes), functioned immediately post-transplant, eliminating the need for dialysis. Despite a T cell mediated rejection episode on day 8 (successfully treated with intensified immunosuppression), the graft sustained function until the patient’s sudden cardiac death on day 52. Autopsy revealed severe coronary artery disease without evidence of xenograft rejection. The study demonstrates the feasibility of porcine xenotransplants to support life sustaining kidney function in humans, though challenges like rejection and physiological compatibility remain.

This brief report describes the first clinical case of a gene edited porcine kidney xenotransplant in a 62 year old man with end stage kidney disease and limited dialysis access. The xenograft, engineered with 69 genomic edits (including deletion of glycan antigens and insertion of human transgenes), functioned immediately post-transplant, eliminating the need for dialysis. Despite a T cell mediated rejection episode on day 8 (successfully treated with intensified immunosuppression), the graft sustained function until the patient’s sudden cardiac death on day 52. Autopsy revealed severe coronary artery disease without evidence of xenograft rejection. The study demonstrates the feasibility of porcine xenotransplants to support life sustaining kidney function in humans, though challenges like rejection and physiological compatibility remain.