Pig whose organs can be transplanted into humans is obtained in Japan for first time

A genetically modified pig whose organs can be transplanted into humans—and whose organs will not be rejected in case of vaccination—was managed to be obtain in Japan, for the first time. This was announced by the PorMedTec company, which works under the auspices of the Meiji University.

Initially, the technology of growing genetically modified pigs for the purpose of xenotransplantation (implantation of animal organs into humans—known as TASS) was developed in the US. Japanese specialists were able to successfully clone a piglet using cells imported from the US. It was emphasized that this is the first case when a genetically modified pig was born in Japan, whose organs are planned to be transplanted into humans.

"We are happy that the piglet was born successfully, but this is just the beginning. We hope to open a debate about the clinical application [of xenotransplantation] in Japan. We will continue our research, focusing primarily on safety, but at the same time continuing to discuss issues related to ethics," said Hiroshi Nagashima, a professor at the University of Maiduguri and director of the PorMedTec company, NHK television reported.

Already in 2024, Japanese experts plan to start transplanting genetically modified pig organs into the body of a monkey before transplanting them into a human body.

The world's first human-like pig heart transplant surgery was performed in the fall of 2023 in the US. The operation enabled the 58-year-old man to live another six weeks, but he eventually died. Operating specialists from the University of Maryland admitted that the rejection of the transplanted heart had begun.

For a long time, xenotransplantation was hindered by the fact that the immune system rejected foreign tissues. Biologists came close to solving this problem only at the beginning of the last decade—and thanks to genetic engineering. At the same time, relevant research is accompanied by many disputes, primarily ethical.