Pig liver transplant marks breakthrough in human medicine

Pig liver transplant keeps 71-year-old man alive for 171 days in world-first breakthrough, marking new hope for end-stage liver disease patients

Pig liver transplant has taken a groundbreaking leap in human medicine, as researchers in China successfully implanted a genetically-modified pig liver into a 71-year-old man.

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This historic first for therapeutic use resulted in the patient surviving for nearly six months, despite having been ruled out for a human liver transplant due to cancer and hepatitis B.

According to researchers writing in the Journal of Hepatology, the pig liver transplant supported essential liver functions during the initial stages, offering new hope to those suffering from terminal liver diseases.

Scientists at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University revealed that the donor organ, taken from a gene-edited Diannan miniature pig, functioned well for over a month before complications—linked to xenotransplantation—necessitated its removal on day 38.

Despite the setback, the patient lived for 171 days, a significant improvement over previous xenotransplant cases involving pig hearts or kidneys.

Lead researcher Dr Beicheng Sun hailed the effort as a pivotal milestone, stating that the pig liver transplant “demonstrates both the promise and the hurdles still ahead—particularly with coagulation and immune responses.”

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Experts agree this breakthrough opens a new chapter for transplant medicine, with potential life-saving implications for conditions like acute liver failure and advanced liver cancer.

David Okere