An Alabama woman has become the latest patient to undergo a groundbreaking pig kidney transplant, marking a hopeful milestone in efforts to combat the critical organ shortage in the United States.
Towana Looney, 53, received a gene-edited pig kidney on November 25 in an experimental procedure performed at NYU Langone Health. For the first time in eight years, Looney is free from dialysis and recovering well, according to doctors.
“It’s like a new beginning,” Looney told the Associated Press. “The energy I had was amazing. To have a working kidney — and to feel it — is unbelievable.”
Her case is particularly notable because Looney was not as critically ill as previous recipients of similar experimental transplants. Those patients, who had also received pig kidneys or hearts earlier this year, died within two months.
A Critical Breakthrough
Looney is the fifth American to receive a gene-edited pig organ as part of a growing push to solve the organ donor crisis through xenotransplantation, the practice of transplanting animal organs into humans.
Dr. Robert Montgomery, head of the NYU surgical team, called the transplant a significant step forward, especially as scientists prepare for formal clinical trials next year.
“To see hope restored to her and her family is extraordinary,” said Dr. Jayme Locke, who initiated the process and originally sought emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to perform the procedure.
The kidney came from a pig engineered with 10 gene alterations, provided by Virginia-based biotech company Revivicor. These genetic edits reduce the risk of rejection by making the pig organ more biologically compatible with humans.
Looney’s Journey
Looney’s path to the experimental transplant was extraordinary. In 1999, she donated a kidney to her mother. However, pregnancy complications later damaged her remaining kidney, leading to complete kidney failure.
Despite being given priority on the national transplant list, Looney faced immense challenges in finding a human donor match. Her immune system had developed antibodies that would attack any offered human kidney.
Faced with limited options, Looney turned to experimental solutions. She had followed promising pig kidney research conducted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and urged Dr. Locke to pursue her case.
The FDA initially declined Locke’s application but later allowed the procedure after Looney’s condition deteriorated.
The Procedure
On November 25, surgeons transplanted the pig kidney, and the organ began functioning immediately, turning pink and producing urine. Looney’s recovery has been promising. She was discharged on December 6, just 11 days after surgery, though she was temporarily readmitted this week to adjust medications.
Doctors expect her to return home to Gadsden, Alabama, in about three months.
A Future for Xenotransplantation?
Looney’s case marks a significant milestone in the broader field of xenotransplantation. More than 100,000 Americans are currently on transplant waiting lists, and thousands die each year before receiving an organ. Scientists hope that genetically modified pig organs could offer a sustainable solution to this shortage.
Previous attempts to transplant pig organs into humans showed mixed results. Earlier this year, two patients received pig kidneys, but both faced complications, including heart disease. Despite those setbacks, Looney remained determined to undergo the procedure, stating, “You don’t know if it’s going to work or not until you try.”
Her success is raising hopes for formal clinical trials in 2025. United Therapeutics, Revivicor’s parent company, announced plans to file an FDA application for such trials soon.
Monitoring the Path Forward
Looney is being closely monitored for signs of organ rejection or other complications. Doctors are optimistic but cautious, as much of what they’re observing is uncharted territory in medical science.
“A lot of what we’re seeing, we’re seeing for the first time,” said Dr. Montgomery.
For Looney, the procedure has already been life-changing. She expressed gratitude to the doctors who made it possible, saying, “Thank you for not giving up on me.”
Dr. Locke responded simply: “Never.”
With this latest success, Looney’s case represents a beacon of hope for thousands of patients awaiting lifesaving transplants and a promising step forward for medical innovation.