The FDA approves human trials for pig kidney transplants
The FDA has approved the biotech company eGenesis to begin human trials of pig-to-human kidney transplants. The genetic modifications made to the pigs using CRISPR technology aim to reduce the chances of organ rejection in human recipients. The trials will be conducted in three phases, with each stage increasing the number of patients if the results support moving forward. Only those with end-stage kidney disease who are 50 or older, dialysis-dependent, and on the kidney transplant waitlist will be eligible. The approval coincides with the successful transplantation of a pig kidney in a 54-year-old New Hampshire resident, Bill Stewart, and a 67-year-old recipient, Tim Andrews, who are now dialysis-free. These trials mark a significant step forward in the field of xenotransplantation, providing hope for those in need of organ transplants.
Source: For the complete article, please visit the original source link below.
