Using Pig hearts to save human lives – a new era of Xenotransplantation

In 1995, a headline in Financial Times read – “Pig hearts to be tested in humans”. This headline aimed at bringing the common man’s attention to the then new and trending science of Xenotransplantation. This new science involved replacing human organs with genetically modified organs of animals, in a hope to counter the global shortage of human organs.

However, many factors prevented Xenotransplantation from becoming a mainstream practice – the risk of viruses entering the human body, rejection of organs by the human body, and multiple failed attempts. The science wasn’t a success for 25 years since the headline was printed in 1995, until now.

Surgeons at the University of Maryland have made the headline a real-life success. Last month, they successfully transplanted a pig heart with 10 gene edits into a 57-year old male. This remarkable feat breathes new life into both David Bennet, the recipient who was bedridden with a failing heart for over 3 months, as well as the dying science of Xenotransplantation.

While there are still a lot of obstacles to cross before Xenotransplantation can become a mainstream practice, this successful surgery can act as a ‘proof of concept’ to speed up regulatory approval.

If all goes well, this scientific advance will immensely help the world, considering the demographic trends. With ageing populations growing in most regions of the world, there is pressing need for such a scientific advance, and this positive news could not have come at a better time.

Read more on this at – https://www.ft.com/content/72c888a8-c0e3-4d66-8446-b554ad523529