First pig kidney recipient dies about two months after transplant

MONDAY, May 13, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Rick Slayman, the first person to receive a kidney transplant from a genetically modified pig, has died, nearly two months after the landmark surgery.

In a statement released Saturday, Slayman’s family said they were “deeply saddened by the sudden passing of our beloved Rick, but are deeply relieved to know that he inspired so many people. Rick’s will be remembered by millions of people around the world.” The story has come out. We found and continue to find solace in the optimism he provided to patients desperately waiting for a transplant.”

He added, “After his transplant, Rick said one of the reasons he went through the procedure was to give hope to the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive.” “Rick achieved that goal and his hope and optimism will live on forever.”

Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital, who performed the transplant procedure, said in the same statement that they were also “deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Mr. Rick Slayman. We have no indication that this was a result of his recent transplant. Mr. Slayman will always be seen as a beacon of hope for countless transplant patients around the world and we are deeply grateful for his belief and willingness to advance the field of xenotransplantation.

Slayman’s transplant journey began in late March, when he first received a kidney from a genetically modified pig. The 62-year-old man was discharged from the hospital after just two weeks as he was doing very well.

“This moment, the moment of leaving the hospital today with one of the cleanest health certificates I have received in a long time, is the moment I have wished for for many years. Now, it is a reality and one of the happiest moments of my life There is one,” Slayman said in a statement at the time.

He said, “I am excited to once again spend time with my family, friends and loved ones, free from the burden of dialysis, which has impacted my quality of life for many years.” “Finally, I want to thank everyone who watched my story and sent their good wishes, especially the patients waiting for a kidney transplant. Today is a new beginning not only for me, but for them too.”

Experts agreed.

Dr. David told The New York Times, “Although there is still a lot of work to be done, I think the potential for this to benefit a large number of patients will be realized and it was a question mark on the field.” Clasen, medical director of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).

Although two previous organ transplants from genetically modified pigs had failed, Slayman’s new kidney produced urine and removed waste products from the blood, his doctors said after surgery.

After the transplant was completed, Dr. Winfred Williams, associate chief of MGH’s Division of Nephrology and Slayman’s senior kidney physician, praised his patient’s “bravery in becoming a pioneer in the field of transplantation.”

The pig kidneys come from Egenesis, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company that is using genetic modification to make pig organs transplantable into humans.

Last year, Egenesis reported in the journal Nature that a monkey had been living with his transplanted pig kidney for two years.

The kidney that Slayman received had 69 genetic edits that removed harmful pig genes and added useful human genes, the researchers said. The scientists also inactivated the retrovirus in donor pigs to eliminate any risk of infection in humans.

Slayman is black, and black patients suffer higher rates of end-stage kidney disease, the Times reports.

These genetically altered pig kidneys “represent a potential breakthrough in solving one of the most difficult problems in our field, that of kidney transplantation for ethnic minority patients due to the extreme shortage of donor organs and other system-based There is unequal access to opportunity.” Obstacles,” Williams said.

Doctors said Slayman had suffered from type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure for years. He received a kidney transplant from a human donor in December 2018, but the organ began to deteriorate after five years and he resumed dialysis in May 2023.

Since then, he has been in and out of the hospital regularly due to complications from dialysis, doctors said.

According to UNOS, more than 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for an organ for transplant. About 17 people die every day due to lack of organ donors.

Doctors say kidneys are the most common organs required for transplant. End stage kidney disease rates in the United States are expected to increase from 29% to 68% by 2030.

“At MGH alone, there are more than 1,400 patients on the waiting list for kidney transplants. Unfortunately, due to long waits on dialysis, some of these patients will die or become so sick that a transplant cannot be performed. My determination The belief is that xenotransplants represent “a promising solution to the crisis of organ shortage,” said Dr. Leonardo Rilla, medical director of kidney transplantation at MGH.

Slayman’s procedure was performed under a compassionate use exemption granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February, doctors said.

more information

The US National Institutes of Health has more information about kidney transplantation.

Sources: Massachusetts General Hospital, news releases, May 11, 2024, April 3, 2024, March 21, 2024; new York Times