Pig Kidney Transplant Keeps Man Off Dialysis for Record Nine Months

A genetically modified pig kidney has kept a 66-year-old man with end-stage kidney disease alive and free of dialysis for a record nine months, marking a world first in using an animal organ as a temporary bridge to a human transplant. Tim Andrews, from New Hampshire, received the kidney from a Yucatan miniature pig named Wilma on January 25, 2025, at Mass General Brigham in Massachusetts. The organ functioned for 271 days before it was removed due to failure, after which Andrews received a human kidney from a deceased donor. Andrews had been living with kidney failure caused by type 2 diabetes and faced a dire prognosis. He was told it could take up to seven years to receive a human kidney, while the average life expectancy on dialysis is only five years. The pig kidney transplant offered him a chance to avoid dialysis and regain his quality of life. "I was alive, and I hadn't been in a long time," Andrews said, describing the transplant as a miracle. He was able to resume normal activities, including cooking, cleaning, and taking long walks with his dog, Cupcake. The transplant was made possible through advanced genetic engineering.