Startup transplants pig kidney into monkey for first time in Japan

Japanese startup PorMedTec announced Monday that it has successfully transplanted a genetically engineered pig kidney into a crab‐eating macaque, a first in Japan that is hoped will provide insights into the future use of animal kidneys in humans.

On Sunday, a team of researchers led by Hisashi Sahara of Kagoshima University and Masayoshi Okumi of Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine performed the procedure, the firm said. The kidney transplanted into the 7-year-old male macaque came from a 2½-month-old pig whose genes had undergone multiple edits to reduce risks of virus infection and immune rejection.

 

As of noon Monday, the monkey remained in good condition, with the researchers confirming the release of urine, a sign that the pig organ was functioning properly in the monkey’s body.