Chinese Researchers Conduct First-Ever Pig Lung Transplant in Human: Breakthrough in Medical Science!

MADRID, (EUROPA PRESS) – Researchers from Guangzhou University in China have successfully performed the first transplant of a genetically modified pig lung into a 39-year-old brain-dead human following a cerebral hemorrhage. The lung xenograft maintained its viability and functionality for 216 hours (9 days) during the follow-up period, with no signs of hyperacute rejection or infection.

However, as reported in the study published in ‘Nature Medicine’, severe edema resembling primary graft dysfunction was observed 24 hours after the transplant, likely due to ischemia-reperfusion injury. Antibody-mediated rejection appeared to contribute to the damage to the xenograft on days 3 and 6 post-operation, with partial recovery noted by day 9.

“This study represents a milestone in translational medicine: for the first time, a genetically modified pig lung has been implanted in a human in a brain-dead state. The organ, which had six genetic modifications to enhance compatibility with humans, remained viable and functional for nine days,” stated Beatriz Domínguez-Gil, director of the National Transplant Organization, in comments to the Science Media Centre Spain.

The immunosuppression regimen used by the Chinese researchers included rabbit antithymocyte globulin, basiliximab, rituximab, eculizumab, tofacitinib, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids in decreasing doses, with adjustments made during the postoperative period based on assessments of immune status.

While this study demonstrates the feasibility of pig-to-human lung xenotransplantation, the authors note that significant challenges related to organ rejection and infections remain, and more preclinical studies are needed before this procedure can be clinically translated.

“Even though this study shows it can be done, it raises more questions than answers. It is clear that further research in this area is necessary, but the prospects of achieving a successful outcome with a xenotransplant lung in a patient, with acceptable survival, seem distant and definitely more complex than with kidneys or liver. In short, a small door has been opened in the world of xenotransplantation, but with many more doubts than certainties,” commented Rafael Matesanz, founder and creator of the ONT.

CHALLENGES IN LUNG TRANSPLANTATION

As explained by Beatriz Domínguez-Gil, director of the National Transplant Organization, the lung poses a unique challenge in the field of xenotransplantation. “Unlike other organs that have been transplanted experimentally—such as the kidney, liver, or heart—the lung’s high exposure to air and its vast blood flow make it more vulnerable and difficult to preserve. For this reason, this study is particularly significant: it serves as a proof of concept that, with further improvements, lung xenotransplantation could become a viable option to save lives in the future. The clinical need is immense,” she stated.

According to the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplant, coordinated by the National Transplant Organization (ONT) as a collaborating center of the World Health Organization (WHO), 8,236 lung transplants were performed worldwide in 2024, which represents an increase of 6 percent over the previous year.

“However, the demand far exceeds the availability of organs. In the European Union alone, 2,221 patients received a lung transplant in 2024, while 3,926 remained on the waiting list throughout that year; of these, 216 died before they could receive a transplant. In Spain, a global leader in this practice, 623 transplants were performed in 2024, resulting in a rate of 13.1 per million population, the highest rate in the world,” Domínguez-Gil added.

For the specialist, these figures highlight the scale of the problem, as thousands of people each year face the possibility of not receiving the organ that could extend and improve their lives in time. “If xenotransplantation becomes established as a safe clinical option, it could radically transform access to lung transplantation and decisively relieve the current organ shortage,” she concluded.