Alabama Woman Becomes First Living Recipient of Gene-Edited Pig Kidney
In a groundbreaking medical advancement, Towana Looney, a 53-year-old from Alabama, has received a gene-edited kidney from a pig, as announced by NYU Langone on Tuesday. This makes her the first living individual to undergo an organ transplant from an animal, following her donation of a kidney to her mother in 1999 and subsequent health challenges.
Looney’s health journey took a turn for the worse after she experienced pregnancy complications that led to the failure of her remaining kidney. After living on dialysis for eight long years, she faced significant challenges in finding a suitable organ match due to an unusually high level of harmful antibodies in her body, which increased the risk of rejection.
“I’m truly grateful for this opportunity,” Looney expressed in a press statement issued three weeks post-surgery. The recent transplant is part of a larger revival in the field of xenotransplantation—a once-elusive scientific goal now gaining traction due to advancements in gene editing technology and immune system management. This progress is seen as a potential solution to the organ shortage crisis in the U.S., where over 100,000 individuals are currently on waiting lists for transplants, including more than 90,000 in need of kidneys.
Looney’s surgery is notable as it marks the third time that a gene-edited pig kidney has been transplanted into a living patient. In previous cases, the first recipient, Rick Slayman, 62, passed away in May—just two months after his pioneering transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital. The second recipient, Lisa Pasano, initially showed improvement after her surgery at NYU Langone but ultimately had to return to dialysis and died in July after 47 days.
Despite these setbacks, researchers remain hopeful about advancing the science of xenotransplantation. Robert Montgomery, the surgeon who performed the seven-hour operation on November 25, emphasized the importance of contributions from participants in their research. “Towana’s case is a significant step toward clinical trials under FDA guidance to assess the safety of these organs as a reliable source for those in need,” he remarked.
Montgomery has been at the forefront of this innovative field, having conducted the first gene-edited pig-to-human organ transplant on a neurologically deceased patient in September 2021. Following her transplant, Looney was discharged from the hospital on December 6 and is currently residing in an apartment in New York City. Due to her immune system’s unique challenges, she may require periodic medical supervision as she adjusts to her new organ.
Anticipating a full recovery, Looney plans to return to her home in three months, marking a hopeful chapter in both her life and the evolution of organ transplantation.
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