A groundbreaking medical milestone marked a tragic end as Rick Slayman, the first human to receive a transplanted genetically modified pig kidney, passed away at 62. The Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston confirmed his sudden death, assuring that it was not directly related to his recent transplant.
Slayman, of Weymouth, Massachusetts, underwent a four-hour surgery in March, which experts hailed as a major step towards providing more accessible organs for transplant patients. Earlier in 2018, he had already been on dialysis for seven years before receiving a human kidney transplant at the same hospital. Unfortunately, that organ failed after five years, leading him back to dialysis treatments.
The innovative pig kidney was provided by eGenesis of Cambridge, Massachusetts. These genetically edited organs have been tailored to remove genes harmful to humans and include human genes to enhance compatibility. Additionally, the pigs are engineered to lack viruses that could potentially infect human recipients.
In lab settings, pig kidneys from eGenesis have successfully been transplanted into monkeys, with averages of 176 days of survival and even surpassing two years in one case, as reported in the journal Nature.
To prevent his immune system from rejecting the pig kidney, Slayman was treated with an experimental antibody called tegoprubart, developed by Eledon Pharmaceuticals.
Slayman's passing comes as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in organ transplantation. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, over 100,000 people in the U.S. are currently waiting for a transplant, with kidneys being the most sought-after organs.
"Our family is deeply saddened by the sudden passing of our beloved Rick but find comfort in knowing he inspired many," the Slayman family shared in a statement.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com