Recipient of Genetically Modified Pig Kidney Has Organ Removed

Lisa Pisano, the New Jersey woman who received a genetically modified pig kidney in April, had the organ removed and is back on dialysis just 47 days after the transplant. Suffering from both kidney and heart failure, Pisano was ineligible for a traditional transplant, so doctors at New York University (NYU) Langone Health implanted a mechanical heart pump, then performed the pig kidney transplant about a week later.

Although a recent kidney biopsy showed no signs of rejection, Pisano’s blood pressure had dropped considerably several times, interfering with blood flow to the transplanted organ. The kidney gradually lost function until her physicians decided to cease immunosuppression drugs and remove it. NYU will study the kidney to glean further insights on its performance.

Pisano was the second person to receive a gene-edited pig kidney. The first, Richard Slayman, had his transplantation surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in March. Slayman died in early May, but doctors said his death was not related to the transplant.