Japan Prepares for First Human Trials of Pig Kidney Transplants

Japanese startup PorMedTec is preparing to launch the country’s first clinical trials to transplant pig kidneys into humans by 2028, according to The Mainichi.

To minimize the risk of organ rejection by the human immune system, scientists are breeding genetically modified pigs featuring 69 distinct DNA edits. Following the initial trials slated for 2028, the team aims to establish this procedure as a standard treatment option in Japan by 2033.

"We want to develop this method as an additional alternative for treating patients with severe kidney failure, alongside human-to-human organ transplantation and dialysis therapy," stated Genjiro Miwa, President of PorMedTec.

The startup’s leadership revealed that special facilities dedicated to preparing pig kidneys will be established near hospitals by the end of fiscal year 2027. Furthermore, the organization aims to secure conditional approval for animal-to-human kidney transplants in 2030, with full integration into clinical practice planned for 2033.

Previously, Chinese doctors achieved a medical breakthrough by successfully transplanting three genetically modified pig organs - a liver and two kidneys - into a single human patient for the first time globally. Researchers at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University reported that all organs functioned immediately post-surgery: the liver began producing bile within a day, while the kidneys promptly assumed their regular functions.

It is worth noting that the first genetically modified pig heart transplant was performed in the United States in 2022, with the patient surviving for two months post-surgery. Later, in 2024, American surgeons successfully completed the first-ever pig kidney transplant into a living human recipient.