Surgeons Perform World’s First Pig-to-Human Liver Transplant in China
In a groundbreaking medical milestone, doctors at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in China have successfully transplanted a liver from a genetically modified pig into a 71-year-old man — the world’s first such procedure performed for therapeutic purposes.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, the surgery took place in May 2024. The patient, whose liver was severely scarred by hepatitis B and liver cancer, was not eligible for a human liver transplant. He survived for nearly six months after the pioneering procedure.
The landmark case, published in the Journal of Hepatology, marks the first successful pig-to-human liver xenotransplant in a living recipient. Previous tests had only been conducted on brain-dead patients.
Researchers explained that the surgical team implanted an “auxiliary graft” from a genetically modified Diannan miniature pig, engineered to enhance organ compatibility with humans. For the first month, the transplanted liver functioned effectively, performing essential metabolic and synthetic roles.
However, on the 38th day post-surgery, doctors were forced to remove the graft due to complications related to a condition known as xenotransplantation-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (xTMA). Although treatment resolved the issue, the patient later died 171 days after the procedure.
Lead investigator Dr. Beicheng Sun described the transplant as a major scientific breakthrough.
“This case proves that a genetically engineered pig liver can function in a human for an extended period,” he said. “It is a pivotal step forward, demonstrating both the promise and the remaining hurdles — particularly regarding coagulation dysregulation and immune complications — that must be overcome.”
In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Heiner Wedemeyer, co-editor of the Journal of Hepatology, hailed the development as a landmark in medical history.
“This report shows that a genetically modified porcine liver can engraft and deliver key hepatic functions in a human recipient,” Wedemeyer wrote. “At the same time, it highlights the biological and ethical challenges that remain before such approaches can be widely adopted. A new era of transplant hepatology has started.”
Xenotransplantation — the process of transplanting animal organs into humans — has long been a major focus of medical research. Pigs are considered the most suitable donors due to their physiological similarities to humans and advances in genetic modification technology.
Over the past few years, scientists have achieved several other firsts in xenotransplantation, including heart and kidney transplants from genetically modified pigs. In 2022, David Bennett, a 57-year-old American, became the first human to receive a pig heart, surviving for two months after the operation. In 2024, Richard Slayman, 62, received a pig kidney transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital, living nearly two months post-surgery.
Experts say these developments mark significant progress in tackling the global shortage of human donor organs — though challenges around immune rejection and ethics remain.
(dpa/NAN)
