Alabama Woman Sets Record as Longest-Living Recipient of Pig Kidney Transplant

Towana Looney, 53, thrives two months after receiving a gene-edited pig kidney, offering hope for addressing organ shortages.

Towana Looney, a 53-year-old from Alabama, has surpassed two months with a functioning pig kidney, marking a milestone in xenotransplantation research.
Looney, who previously donated a kidney to her mother, faced kidney failure due to pregnancy complications and spent eight years on dialysis before the transplant.
The transplant, led by Dr. Robert Montgomery at NYU Langone Health, has resulted in 'absolutely normal' kidney function with no signs of rejection since early treatment for subtle indications.
The gene-edited pig kidney transplant is part of efforts to address the severe shortage of human organs, with over 100,000 people on the U.S. transplant list, most awaiting kidneys.
Looney's recovery is being closely monitored to inform future xenotransplantation trials, which researchers hope to formally launch later this year.