Researchers say medics have successfully transplanted a pig liver into a human in a world first.
According to a NAN report released on Thursday, the patient — a 71-year-old man — survived for nearly six months following the procedure.
The man’s own liver had suffered irreversible scarring from hepatitis B infection and liver cancer, making him ineligible for a human liver transplant.
This marks the first time a genetically modified pig liver has been transplanted into a human for therapeutic purposes. Previously, two similar procedures had only been performed on brain-dead patients as part of preliminary research.
In a paper published in the Journal of Hepatology, researchers reported that genetically modified pig livers can support key metabolic and synthetic functions in humans.
Scientists in China described how they implanted an “auxiliary graft” from a genetically modified Diannan miniature pig, engineered to improve organ compatibility.
For the first month, doctors observed that the graft functioned effectively. However, on day 38, it was removed due to complications associated with the transplant, a condition known as xenotransplantation-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (xTMA).
Researchers said the condition was successfully treated, but despite this, the patient died 171 days after the transplant.
“This case proves that a genetically engineered pig liver can function in a human for an extended period,” said lead investigator Dr. Beicheng Sun of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in China’s Anhui Province.
“It represents a pivotal step forward, showing both the potential and the remaining challenges — particularly issues related to coagulation and immune response — that must be overcome.”
In an accompanying editorial, co-editor of the Journal of Hepatology, Dr. Heiner Wedemeyer, called the achievement “a landmark in hepatology.”
He wrote: “This report demonstrates that a genetically modified porcine liver can engraft and deliver essential hepatic functions in a human recipient. At the same time, it underscores the biological and ethical challenges that must be addressed before such approaches can be widely adopted.”
“Xenotransplantation may open entirely new avenues for treating patients with acute liver failure, acute-on-chronic liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. A new era of transplant hepatology has begun,” Wedemeyer added.
Xenotransplantation, the transplantation of animal organs, tissues, or cells into humans — has long been considered a promising but complex field. Pigs are viewed as the most suitable donor animals due to their comparable organ size, physiological similarities to humans, and advances in pig gene-editing technology.
Experts say overcoming immune rejection of pig organs remains one of the most significant challenges, despite more than four decades of research in the field.
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