Chinese Researchers Perform Successful Xenotransplantation with Genetically Modified Pig Liver

Chinese researchers recently made history by conducting a successful xenotransplantation, where a genetically modified pig liver was transplanted into a human patient at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in Hefei. Led by Professor Sun Beicheng and in collaboration with a team from Yunnan Agricultural University, the operation on a 71-year-old patient with severe liver cancer took place on May 17. Remarkably, within the first week post-surgery, the patient showed no signs of organ rejection and did not experience any disruptions to his coagulation system.

This pioneering operation represents a significant advancement in the field of xenotransplantation, as it is the first clinically assisted pig-to-human xenogenic liver transplant ever performed. Professor Sun Beicheng emphasized that this procedure, the fifth xenogeneic organ transplant globally, demonstrated promising results with the patient's improved mobility, normalized liver function, and restoration of various health indicators. Additionally, in a separate event last month at Xijing Hospital at Air Force Medical University in Xi'an, Chinese researchers also accomplished a similar feat by successfully implanting a genetically modified pig liver into a brain-dead patient.