Third Gene-Edited Pig Kidney Transplant in U.S.

Towana Looney, a 53-year-old woman from Alabama, recently became the third person in the U.S. to receive a gene-edited pig kidney through xenotransplantation, marking a significant advancement in addressing the organ shortage crisis. After donating a kidney to her mother in 1999 and developing kidney failure due to pregnancy complications, Looney spent eight years on dialysis before undergoing the groundbreaking transplant at NYU Langone Health. The procedure, performed under the FDA's expanded access program, involved a pig kidney with ten gene edits designed to prevent rejection by the human immune system. Following the surgery, Looney is in good health and no longer needs dialysis, expressing gratitude for this 'second chance at life.' This development provides hope in the field of xenotransplantation, as more than 100,000 Americans await organ transplants, with kidneys in particular demand. Despite previous failures, Looney's successful surgery suggests that such transplants could become routine within the next decade.