John AdoyiRick Slayman, the first human to receive a genetically modified pig kidney transplant, has passed away in the United States, the Associated Press reported.
Mr. Slayman underwent the groundbreaking transplant in March at Massachusetts General Hospital after his doctor recommended it due to the failure of his first human kidney transplant, which he received in 2018.
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Unfortunately, Mr. Slayman’s health deteriorated, and he died on Saturday, his family and the Massachusetts hospital confirmed. However, the hospital stated that there are no indications that Mr. Slayman’s death was a result of complications from the transplant.
“The Mass General transplant team is deeply saddened at the sudden passing of Mr. Rick Slayman. We have no indication that it was the result of his recent transplant,” the hospital said in a statement.
Adding that “Mr. Slayman will forever be seen as a beacon of hope to countless transplant patients worldwide and we are deeply grateful for his trust and willingness to advance the field of xenotransplantation. We offer our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Slayman’s family and loved ones as they remember an extraordinary person whose generosity and kindness touched all who knew him.”
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Xenotransplantation, the transplantation of organs or tissues from an animal source into a human recipient, has been a focus of research for decades. Scientists have been working to develop viable xenotransplant options to save more lives and improve the quality of life of patients.
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In 2022, a US hospital carried out the world’s first transplant of a heart from a genetically modified pig into David Bennett, who died two months later. Another man, Lawrence Faucette, received another pig heart transplant from the same Maryland hospital but lasted only six weeks before he died.
The kidney transplanted into Mr. Slayman was provided by eGenesis, a pharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, from a pig donor genetically edited using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Harmful pig genes were removed, and certain human genes were added to improve the organ’s compatibility with humans.
“Our family is deeply saddened about the sudden passing of our beloved Rick but take great comfort knowing he inspired so many. Millions of people worldwide have come to know Rick’s story. We felt – and still feel – comforted by the optimism he provided patients desperately waiting for a transplant,” Mr. Slayman’s family said in a statement while thanking the hospital for their effort.
“We are extremely grateful to his care team across Massachusetts General Hospital and Mass General Brigham, especially Dr. Williams, Dr. Kawai, and Dr. Riella, who truly did everything they could to help give Rick a second chance,” the family said.
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