On November 25th, 2024 the third person ever received a gene edited pig kidney transplant.

An Alabama woman who had been on the waiting list for a kidney transplant since 2017, 53 year old Towana Looney had donated her own kidney to her mother priorly but her own kidney began to fail, she had needed a kidney transplant. She was at high risk of not being able to receive a kidney transplant because she had unique medical factors and it was almost impossible to find a matching to find a proper match. Finally this year, because of doctors from NYU Langone Health she had a successful surgery and is currently recovering well.

According to IFLScience.com, “The advent of CRISPR gene editing technology revolutionized the field, increasing the chances of success by modifying key genes to make organs from another species more compatible with the human body. In Looney’s case, the medical team are hopeful that this pioneering procedure has given her new hope for the future.” 

Read more here: https://www.iflscience.com/third-living-person-ever-gets-a-gene-edited-pig-kidney-transplant-77283