Pig-organ transplants
Gene-edited pig kidneys now work in living patients for up to nine months, and the first formal trials have begun.
Open in the interactive tree →Pigs are gene-edited (from 10 to 69 changes, depending on the design) to remove rejection-triggering sugars, add human genes and, in some designs, switch off pig retroviruses. Pig hearts were implanted in 2022 and 2023, and pig kidneys in living patients followed in 2024 (Richard Slayman, Lisa Pisano). The aim is an unlimited supply of organs for waiting lists that donors cannot serve.
As of October 2026
Tim Andrews lived with an eGenesis gene-edited pig kidney for 271 days, the record, until it was removed in October 2025 because of rejection; he received a human kidney in January 2026, and his case was published in The Lancet. By September 2026 eGenesis reported five expanded-access patients since March 2024, two of whom later received human kidneys, and plans a 33-patient trial (RESTORE) for patients aged 50 to 70 with launch expected in the first quarter of 2027. United Therapeutics began its EXPAND trial of a 10-edit pig kidney in October 2025 at NYU Langone and Northwestern, with up to 50 patients planned. Durability beyond a year and infection risk remain unproven.
Open steps
- Beating slow rejection Medium AI leverageRejection ended the record kidney after 271 days; tuned immunosuppression and early detection must carry grafts for years.
- Screening pigs for hidden viruses Medium AI leverageA pig virus (porcine CMV) went unnoticed in the first heart transplant; sensitive tests and herd health programmes must exclude all dangerous viruses.
- Hearts, livers and lungs Low AI leveragePig kidneys lead; hearts, livers and lungs face tougher immune and size problems, so each organ needs its own edits and trial path.
- Fewer, better gene edits Medium AI leverageDesigns range from 10 to 69 edits; knowing which are needed and which add risk would simplify breeding and improve safety.
Where AI could help
Low AI leverage. Progress depends on gene edits, trial slots, clean pig facilities and rejection biology; AI helps only with monitoring and design.
- Predicting rejection earlier from blood and biopsy data
- Choosing gene-edit sets and matching donor pigs to recipients
- Screening pig herds and grafts for infections
- Analyzing trial data from small numbers of patients