Genetically Edited Pig Kidney Kept Patient Off Dialysis for 271 Days

Overview

• A 66-year-old man received a genetically edited pig kidney in January 2025 and the graft functioned immediately and for 271 days, keeping him free of dialysis during that time.
• Clinicians recorded a mild immune reaction about two weeks after surgery that was managed with medication changes, but roughly six months in the kidney developed blood-vessel wall damage and inflammation and was removed in October 2025.
• After the pig kidney was taken out the patient spent 82 days back on dialysis and then received a functioning human donor kidney in January 2026.
• The donor pigs were produced from embryos with 69 genomic edits to remove pig antigens, add human genes, and deactivate porcine viruses, and the animals were raised in pathogen-controlled facilities.
• Treating physicians say the case demonstrates porcine organs can serve as a temporary bridge for patients facing long waits for human kidneys, but they stress that the unexplained vascular injury must be solved before wider clinical use is possible.