Overview

• The Nature Medicine study details Guangzhou surgeons transplanting a left lung from a six‑gene–edited Bama Xiang pig into a brain‑dead 39‑year‑old, in collaboration with Clonorgan Biotechnology.
• The graft functioned for 216 hours without hyperacute rejection or detected infection before life support was withdrawn at the family’s request on day nine.
• Severe pulmonary edema appeared within 24 hours, and antibody‑mediated injury was observed on days three and six, with partial recovery by day nine.
• Investigators deployed intensive immunosuppression—ATG, basiliximab, rituximab, eculizumab, tofacitinib, tacrolimus, mycophenolate and steroids—highlighting current toxicity and infection concerns.
• Independent specialists say lungs pose distinctive challenges due to constant air exposure and high blood flow, urging further preclinical research and improved gene edits and preservation before use in living patients.