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2d ago

China Reports First Pig-to-Human Lung Transplant Functioning for Nine Days

Experts describe the experiment as a proof of concept highlighting major rejection and infection hurdles before trials in living patients.

Proceso quirúrgico en el que el equipo ha logrado trasplantar un pulmón de cerdo a un ser humano.
In this photo provided by NYU Langone Health surgeons lower a gene-edited pig kidney into Lisa Pisano's abdomen at the hospital New York on April 12 2024. Doctors transplanted organ Pisano who was near death part of dramatic pair surgeries that also included fix for her failing heart. (Joe Carrotta/NYU via AP
El doctor Fernando Mosteiro, en el Hospital Universitario de A Coruña (Chuac).
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Overview

  • The Nature Medicine paper details a Guangzhou team implanting a genetically edited Bama Xiang pig’s left lung into a 39-year-old brain-dead man on May 15, 2024, with the graft functioning for 216 hours.
  • The lung avoided hyperacute rejection and infection but developed severe edema at 24 hours and showed antibody‑mediated rejection on days 3 and 6, with partial recovery by day 9.
  • The donor organ carried six edits—three porcine genes silenced and three human genes added—prepared by Clonorgan Biotechnology under biosecure conditions.
  • Researchers used a high‑intensity immunosuppression regimen including rabbit antithymocyte globulin, basiliximab, rituximab, eculizumab, tofacitinib, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and steroids.
  • The family requested termination after nine days, and independent specialists stress that substantial biological and safety barriers remain even as the approach could eventually help ease the shortage of donor lungs.