An Alabama woman who lived with a pig kidney for a groundbreaking 130 days underwent surgery to have the organ removed after experiencing rejection, leading her back to dialysis, according to medical professionals. This marks a setback in the ongoing exploration of animal-to-human organ transplants. Towana Looney is recovering successfully from the surgery performed on April 4 at NYU Langone Health and has since returned to her home in Gadsden, Alabama. Despite the outcome, she expressed gratitude towards her medical team for the opportunity to participate in the research, acknowledging the potential benefits her experience could offer to others battling kidney disease.
Researchers are genetically modifying pigs so that their organs resemble human organs more closely, aiming to alleviate the severe shortage of human organs available for transplantation. The demand is particularly high, with over 100,000 individuals on the U.S. transplant list, the majority of whom require a kidney, and many die while waiting. Prior to Looney’s procedure, only four other Americans had undergone experimental xenotransplants with gene-edited pig organs—two hearts and two kidneys, none of which lasted beyond two months. Those recipients, who were critically ill before the surgeries, passed away. Researchers are now focusing on patients with slightly better health, similar to Looney’s condition. A New Hampshire man who received a pig kidney in January is reportedly doing well, and a detailed study on pig kidney transplants is scheduled to commence this summer. Furthermore, Chinese scientists have recently announced a successful kidney xenotransplant.
Since 2016, Looney had been dependent on dialysis and was ineligible for a standard transplant due to her body’s increased likelihood of rejecting a human kidney. Opting for a pig kidney, she experienced improved health and dubbed herself “superwoman,” living longer than any previous recipient of a gene-edited pig organ. Her transplant, which occurred on November 25, remained effective until her body began to reject the organ in early April.
Dr. Robert Montgomery, a pioneer in xenotransplantation, performed Looney’s surgery and is investigating the reasons behind the organ’s rejection. Montgomery noted that Looney and her doctors decided it was safer to remove the pig kidney rather than attempt to save it with potentially harmful doses of anti-rejection drugs. He stated that her current condition is no worse than before the xenotransplant, and she benefited from a respite from dialysis.
Shortly before the organ rejection, Looney encountered an infection related to her previous dialysis treatment, resulting in a slight reduction in her anti-rejection medication. Simultaneously, her immune system was regaining strength post-transplant, which may have contributed to damaging the kidney.
Rejection poses a common threat in human organ transplants as well, sometimes resulting in the loss of the new organ. Physicians must carefully balance suppressing the patient’s immune system to preserve the organ without compromising their ability to fight infections. This challenge is amplified in xenotransplantation. Although pig organs undergo modifications to reduce immediate rejection risk, patients still require immunosuppressive drugs. The optimal drug regimen to prevent various rejection types remains unclear, as different research teams employ varying drug combinations.
Looney’s experience contributes important insights for upcoming clinical trials. Making xenotransplantation a viable option will require incremental advances, rather than aiming for immediate, large-scale success.
The Bottom Line
The development of xenotransplantation represents a significant scientific frontier with the potential to revolutionize organ transplant availability. For patients like Towana Looney, who face dire prospects due to a shortage of human organs, xenotransplants may offer a viable alternative, granting extended life and improved health. Such breakthroughs could eventually lead to reduced waiting times and mortality rates for those on transplant lists.
On a broader scale, successful xenotransplant procedures could alleviate the burden on healthcare systems by decreasing the need for lifelong dialysis and associated treatments, ultimately lowering healthcare costs. Communities may witness increased organ availability, fostering hope among patients suffering from organ failure while potentially reducing disparities in access to life-saving treatments.
Nonetheless, continued research and clinical trials are essential to refine the processes and address ethical considerations associated with xenotransplantation. As scientists uncover more about managing immune responses and refining genetic modifications, the dream of reliable animal-to-human organ transplants moves closer to reality, offering renewed optimism to countless individuals worldwide.