Celebrating our Third Successful Xenotransplant

Mass General Brigham celebrates the successful completion of our third transplant of a genetically edited pig (porcine) kidney into a living recipient (xenotransplant). The two and a half-hour procedure was performed on Saturday, June 14, by surgeons at the Mass General Transplant Center. This transplant is the second in a three-patient pilot study that began in January 2025 evaluating the safety and efficacy of genetically engineered pig kidneys in multiple patients who face long wait times for a deceased donor organ. MGH surgeons previously performed the world’s first transplant of a genetically engineered pig kidney into a living human in March 2024.

Leonardo V. Riella, MD, PhD, medical director for kidney transplantation, lead surgeon Tatsuo Kawai, MD, PhD, director of the Legorreta Center for Clinical Transplant Tolerance, and Nahel Elias, MD, surgical director for kidney transplantation led the team. Under their leadership, a genetically edited pig kidney with 69 genomic edits was successfully transplanted into 54-year-old Bill Stewart of Dover, N.H., who has been on dialysis for more than two years with end-stage kidney disease (EKSD) caused by severe hypertension.

Learn more: https://www.massgeneral.org/transplant

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About Mass General Brigham:
Mass General Brigham combines the strength of two world-class academic medical centers, five nationally ranked specialty hospitals, 11 community hospitals, and dozens of health centers. Our doctors and researchers accelerate medical breakthroughs and drive innovations in patient care. They are leaders in medical education, serving as Harvard Medical School faculty and training the next generation of physicians. Mass General Brigham’s mission is to deliver the best, affordable health care to patients everywhere. Together, we transform the health of our communities and beyond.

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