Boston, Massachusetts – A man who received the world’s first successful transplant of a genetically-edited pig kidney has tragically passed away less than two months after the groundbreaking procedure.
Richard Slayman, a resident of Weymouth, underwent surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in March, where he received a pig kidney with 69 genomic edits. Despite initial positive signs and being discharged from the hospital with a clean bill of health, sources indicated that there was no direct link between Slayman’s death and the transplant.
Slayman, who had been battling Type 2 diabetes and hypertension, had end-stage kidney disease at the time of the pig kidney transplant. Prior to this procedure, he had received a kidney transplant from a deceased human donor in 2018 after years of dialysis. However, the transplanted human kidney began to fail five years later, leading Slayman back to dialysis.
Facing recurrent dialysis vascular complications that significantly impacted his quality of life, Slayman’s medical team proposed a pig kidney transplant. Despite the risks involved, Slayman saw this as an opportunity to not only help himself but also to inspire hope for others in need of transplants.
The pig kidney used in the groundbreaking procedure was genetically modified by eGenesis in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Scientists made edits to enhance its compatibility with humans and eliminate the risk of infection. This procedure was carried out under a special FDA Expanded Access Protocol, allowing critically ill patients access to experimental treatments when no other options are available.
Slayman’s story highlights the risks and challenges associated with cutting-edge medical procedures like genetically-edited organ transplants, shedding light on the complexities of organ donation and transplantation.