A man who gained widespread attention earlier this year as the first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney has sadly passed away, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston has confirmed.
The hospital expressed deep sorrow at the sudden death of Mr. Rick Slayman, emphasizing that there is no indication that his passing was related to the transplant he underwent. Slayman, 62, from Weymouth, Massachusetts, underwent the groundbreaking transplant in March, a procedure that was hailed as a major advancement in organ transplantation.
Slayman had previously received a human kidney transplant in 2018 after seven years on dialysis, but unfortunately, the organ failed after five years, leading him to resume dialysis treatments. The kidney he received in March was provided by eGenesis of Cambridge, Massachusetts, from a pig that had been genetically edited for compatibility and safety.
The company had successfully transplanted kidneys from similarly edited pigs into monkeys, with some surviving for over two years, researchers reported in October. Drugs, including an experimental antibody developed by Eledon Pharmaceuticals, were used to prevent rejection of the pig organ by Slayman's immune system.
The need for organ transplants is significant, with over 100,000 people in the U.S. awaiting organs, particularly kidneys. Recent medical advancements have seen pig organs being transplanted into humans, including a genetically modified pig heart transplanted into a 57-year-old man in January 2022, although he passed away two months later.