China Performs World’s First Pig-to-Human Liver Transplant
Chinese surgeons have achieved a historic medical milestone — the first documented transplantation of a genetically modified pig liver into a human patient.
A medical first in xenotransplantation
A surgical team in China successfully transplanted a bio-engineered pig liver into a 71-year-old man suffering from advanced cirrhosis and liver cancer. According to reports from the medical center, the patient survived 171 days after surgery, living 38 days with the transplanted organ before his condition eventually declined due to unrelated complications.
The operation marks the first verified case of a functional pig liver supporting a human patient. Scientists behind the project call it a crucial step toward solving the chronic shortage of transplantable organs worldwide.
Why it matters
More than 100 000 patients in the U.S. are currently waiting for organ transplants, including over 9 000 people needing a new liver. Supply consistently falls short, with many dying before a donor can be found.
Xenotransplantation — the use of animal organs modified for human compatibility — offers a potential answer. The pig liver used in this operation was genetically edited to suppress immune rejection and improve metabolic compatibility, enabling the organ to function inside a human body for over a month.
Engineering a compatible organ
The donor pig came from a line modified with more than ten genetic edits. Several porcine genes responsible for acute immune rejection were deactivated, while human regulatory genes were inserted to enhance cellular tolerance.
The liver also underwent perfusion treatment to stabilize metabolic pathways before implantation. Doctors described the recipient’s recovery as “remarkably stable” in the first weeks following surgery, with near-normal enzyme levels and no signs of hyper-acute rejection.
Global context
China’s achievement follows a wave of similar experiments in the U.S., where researchers previously transplanted pig kidneys and hearts into human recipients under limited compassionate-use protocols. However, the Chinese procedure is the first peer-documented case of sustained pig liver function in a living person, representing a major leap for xenotransplantation science.
Analysts believe this success could accelerate regulatory approval for further trials, while raising ethical and biosafety discussions about cross-species genetic integration.
Looking ahead
While challenges remain — immune rejection, viral safety, and long-term viability — the outcome demonstrates real clinical potential. Future goals include developing hybrid organs engineered for both detoxification and metabolic support, effectively bridging patients until a full human transplant is available.
Conclusion
This landmark procedure signals that xenotransplantation is transitioning from laboratory science to clinical reality. For patients worldwide, especially those ineligible for immediate donor transplants, the path opened by Chinese surgeons may represent the dawn of a new era in regenerative and cross-species medicine.
Editorial Team — CoinBotLab