Tim Andrews, a 66-year-old man from Concord, New Hampshire, made headlines by successfully receiving a genetically-edited pig kidney transplant on January 25, 2025, at Massachusetts General Hospital, becoming only the second person known to live with such a transplant.
Andrews' recovery has been remarkable; he was discharged just a week after the surgery, expressing that he felt like a 'new man' and is now free from dialysis.
Post-surgery, the pig kidney began functioning immediately, producing urine and showing no signs of rejection, indicating a successful transplant thus far.
Andrews aims to share his hopeful experience with others in his former dialysis clinic, emphasizing the importance of hope in the face of medical challenges.
Doctors monitored Andrews closely, particularly his cardiac health, as previous pig kidney recipients had experienced complications due to underlying heart disease.
This transplant follows a successful pig kidney transplant in November 2024, which lasted 2.5 months, suggesting advancements in xenotransplantation.
Andrews' surgery marks a significant development in xenotransplantation, a field aimed at addressing the critical shortage of human organs, with over 100,000 people currently on the U.S. transplant list.
United Therapeutics has received FDA approval for a clinical trial involving six patients receiving pig kidneys, which could expand based on initial results, indicating a shift towards more formal studies in xenotransplantation.
Dr. Tatsuo Kawai, who led Andrews' surgery, expressed optimism about the future of pig organ transplants, citing advancements in genetic engineering to enhance compatibility with human biology.
Andrews fought hard to qualify for this experimental transplant, having struggled with kidney failure for about two years and realizing that the long wait for a human donor was not a viable option due to his deteriorating health.
To qualify for the transplant, Andrews underwent significant lifestyle changes, including losing 30 pounds and improving his physical fitness through intensive therapy over six months.
If the pig kidney were to fail, Andrews would still be eligible for a human transplant without losing his waiting time on the transplant list, which is crucial for prioritization.
