Latest news with #Reports:AnimalPharm
CNN
16-05-2025
- Health
- CNN
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: At the forefront of organ transplants, patients are the pioneers
EDITOR'S NOTE: Watch 'Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Animal Pharm' on Sunday, May 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CNN. The story of transplants has always been one of altruism. After all, organs can be neither sold nor purchased. They can only be donated as a gift of life. It is a story that started in 1954, when Dr. Joseph Murray performed the world's first successful organ transplant at Boston's Peter Bent Brigham Hospital between identical twin brothers Ronald and Richard Herrick. Richard had been discharged from the US Coast Guard after being diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease, and his identical twin brother, Ronald, was a willing donor. Although they had no certainty it would work, the transplant resulted in eight more years of life for Richard, successful in part because they had the same DNA. When Ronald died in 2010, Dr. Murray remembered him in a statement published in the American Journal of Transplantation, saying: 'we should never forget that he not only saved his brother Richard's life, but also paved the way for thousands of other transplant recipients throughout the world.' It is this same ethos that is now pushing forward the burgeoning field of xenotransplantation – the practice of using animal organs for human transplant. For the past two years, I've spoken with surgeons, genetic engineers and patients who have all told me of the hope of using genetically engineered pig donors to help end the organ shortage crisis. In the United States alone, there are more than 100,000 people waiting for an organ at any given moment – most of them in need of a kidney. Every day, 17 people on that list will die, just waiting. 'This paradigm that someone has to die in order for somebody to live is, a broken paradigm. It just doesn't work,' said Dr. Robert Montgomery, director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute. As both a transplant surgeon and a heart transplant recipient himself, he knows how agonizing the wait can be. It's why he's relentlessly pushing for a new source of organs. 'Because less than 1% of the people who die every year die in a way that they could ever even be considered as organ donors, we need a sustainable, renewable source of organs from something else other than humans dying,' Dr. Montgomery told me. In many ways, the idea of using pigs is not all that far-fetched. After all, we have been using pig heart valves to replace human valves since the 1970s. The drugs heparin and insulin were initially derived from pigs. Because of their similarity in size to humans, a pig's organs are a pretty good match for us. And our long history of breeding them and their ability to produce large litters in just under four months makes them a reliable, steady and speedy source of potential organs. It was the more recent development of CRISPR and genetic engineering that has truly accelerated the field of xenotransplantation. Scientists can now modify a pig's DNA so that its organs are more compatible for human transplant, controlling for rejection, growth and possible viruses. But just as with the Herrick brothers, all of this heady science requires pioneering patients willing to take the chance and raise their hands despite the unknowns. Sixty-six-year-old Tim Andrews had been on dialysis for two years. He had end-stage kidney disease, and the likelihood that he would get a transplant was extremely low in part because of his rare blood type. Doctors put the chances of him finding a match within the next five years at just 9%. The likelihood of him dropping off the list altogether in that same time period because of illness or death was nearly 50%. Dialysis had worn on Tim so much that he had resigned himself to the idea that he might literally die in the dialysis chair. For those not on dialysis, it can be hard to understand just how grueling it can be, both mentally and physically. But think of it like this: Our kidneys are always working, filtering blood 24/7. A dialysis machine tries to do all that work, but compresses it into three or four days a week, a few hours each time. It was so stressful on Tim's body that he had a heart attack six months after starting dialysis. When he learned that his hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, had performed the first experimental pig kidney xenotransplant, he told his doctor, Dr. Leonard Riella, that he had to be given a chance. Even though he knew there was tremendous uncertainty about the outcome of the transplant, Tim pushed forward. When I visited Tim and his wife, Karen, at their home in Concord, New Hampshire, he told me, 'It may shorten your life, but you're going to do something for humanity. And I'm like, oh, God, that's what it's all about.' At the time, 53-year-old Towana Looney was the only person in the world who could understand what Tim was contemplating. Twenty-five years earlier, Towana had donated one of her kidneys to her mom, but two years later, she developed pre-eclampsia during pregnancy, and her remaining kidney was damaged. Like Tim, she was unlikely to find a match anytime soon, in her case because of high antibodies. She had been on grueling dialysis for eight years before undergoing the transplant in November 2024 at NYU Langone. Dr. Montgomery was her transplant surgeon. Her life was transformed, and when I saw this vibrant womaen on stage talking about her experience, I was amazed at how healthy she looked. Afterward, Dr. Montgomery told me, 'She wants to start a revolution.' In April of this year, Towana had to have her kidney removed after she developed an infection unrelated to the organ that required her immunosuppression regimen to be lowered. At the time, she had lived with the genetically modified pig organ for 130 days, the longest period of time ever recorded. In a statement, Towana said, 'I'm so grateful to have been given the opportunity to be part of this incredible research. For the first time since 2016, I enjoyed time with friends and family without planning around dialysis treatments. Though the outcome is not what anyone wanted, I know a lot was learned from my 130 days with a pig kidney—and that this can help and inspire many others in their journey to overcome kidney disease.' These are still early days, and so there will be ups and downs, but in science, like life, you learn just as much from the failures as the successes. Each step forward has been building on the lessons learned from previous patient pioneers, like David Bennett and Lawrence Faucette. They both received pig hearts and lived an additional six to eight weeks. Rick Slayman and Lisa Pisano received pig kidneys in 2024, and both lived about two additional months after their procedures. In each case, their stories taught scientists valuable and transformative lessons about the field of xenotransplantation. This spring, I had a chance to visit with Brittany Rydel, Lisa Pisano's daughter. She told me, 'My mom always cared about other people. And one of the first things she said to me was, 'Even if this doesn't work for me, it can work for someone else.' And I think about that a lot. You know, I might need a kidney one day. My kids might need a kidney one day. ' The baton of altruism and hope passed on again. So often, it is the scientists and the researchers who are recognized – and for good reason. After all, the story of xenotransplantation is possible because of several Nobel Prize-winning discoveries, including transplanation, gene editing, cloning, IVF and immunology. As Dr. Montgomery told me, 'We stand on the shoulders of giants for sure.' The real giants propelling this field forward, however, are the patients bravely stepping into the unknown for the benefit of all of us.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
He was tired of just surviving. A pig kidney gave him a shot at living
EDITOR'S NOTE: Watch 'Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Animal Pharm' on Sunday, May 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CNN. Tim Andrews knew that he needed dialysis to manage his end-stage kidney disease, but over months of treatment, he started to wonder whether it was worth it. He was exhausted and hopeless. He missed his grandkids. It kept him alive, but it didn't feel like living. Desperate for another option, he found a surprising alternative: an organ from a pig. Andrews, 67, is a pioneer of a new kind of medicine. In January, he had an experimental cross-species transplant of a kidney from a genetically modified pig. He is one of only a handful of patients who have undergone the experimental procedure. For now, he's the lone person in the United States known to be living with a pig kidney. Andrews knew that there was a risk to trying something so new, but if the kidney gave him just one more day free from dialysis, it was worth it — for him and for fellow patients. 'This will do something for humanity,' Andrews said. Andrews had been living with diabetes since the 1990s, managing the condition with insulin. About 2½ years ago, he went to the doctor feeling unusually tired. Tests showed that he had stage 3 kidney failure — his kidneys were still working but less efficiently than they should. He was relieved to learn that it was manageable with medication, monitoring and lifestyle changes. But about a month later, a doctor delivered more bad news: Andrews' kidney disease had rapidly progressed to end-stage disease. Dialysis was the only option to keep him alive until he could get an organ transplant. Dialysis is highly effective at cleaning the blood, but it places a 'huge burden' on the body, Andrews' doctors told CNN. At first, Andrews thought it was going well. But about six months in, he had a heart attack. 'It takes a toll on you, emotionally and physically,' said Andrews, who lives in New Hampshire. He was tempted to forgo dialysis entirely until a doctor warned that if he did so, he should 'pick a box.' With the state his kidneys were in, his body would be in it within a couple months. For six hours, three days a week, he kept at it. On days off, he'd sleep. By the time he woke up, he'd have to start the process all over again. When he thinks about his experience with dialysis, Andrews appreciates what the doctors and nurses did to keep him alive. But when he kept having to sit in that oversized green chair hooked up to the dialysis machine, the whole situation hurt his spirit, too. He was too tired to walk or get groceries. He couldn't eat. Even in the few hours he felt OK, his immune system was so weak that he had to avoid crowds. Dialysis meant no more Red Sox games, no more fun with grandchildren, no more travel. As the hours ticked past, he couldn't think about gratitude. All he could think about was death. The dialysis side effects got so bad that he wanted to quit, but his wife, Karen, wouldn't let him. He also kept hearing his father's voice in his mind, telling him to stop complaining and start doing something about his situation. Andrews learned that his odds of getting a human kidney donation were not good. Nearly 90,0000 people are on the waiting list for a kidney in the US. Most don't get a transplant because they become too sick or die while waiting for a match. Andrews' chances were slimmer than most because of his rare blood type. People typically wait about three to five years for a donor kidney. For him, it would likely be seven to 10 years. Doctors thought his body could take only five years of dialysis. 'I was a little short there,' Andrews said. 'I know what end-stage means.' But his research gave him hope. Massachusetts General Hospital was also investigating animal alternatives. He demanded that the hospital liaison put him in touch with one of the doctors from that project: Dr. Leonardo Riella, medical director of kidney transplantation at Mass General. When they first met, Andrews was 'very frail,' Riella said. He arrived in a wheelchair. But when Riella mentioned what's known as xenotransplantation — transplants using genetically modified pig organs — Andrews' eyes 'sparked.' 'He said 'Tell me what I need to do.' ' Riella told Andrews he'd need to get a lot stronger if he wanted a transplant of any kind. 'They said, 'Prepare your body for battle,' ' Andrews' wife, Karen, remembered. For the next few months, Andrews went to the gym and physical therapy, got his teeth fixed, got several vaccines and lost 22 pounds. When he went back to the clinic a few months later, Riella said, Andrews was 'almost running around the room.' He talked to people about the procedure. He prayed. His wife, Karen, also had to agree: If they got the green light, she would need to sign consent papers. On the slim chance he got a virus from the organ, she'd be exposed to it, too. 'I was a little taken aback by that,' Karen said. But she didn't have any doubt that this transplant, though unusual, was the right way to go. 'It has to be better than dialysis,' she said. 'He was just feeling so awful all the time.' In January, it was finally time. On surgery day, his family hugged and kissed him good-bye. Karen gave him a high-five and wished him luck. The procedure was supposed to take four hours, but only about two hours and 15 minutes in, Karen said, her phone rang. The doctors were done early and said it went 'unbelievably well.' A team of doctors told Karen that they had successfully attached the genetically modified pig kidney alongside Andrews' nonfunctioning organ. 'They put the kidney on the table and started connecting him to the kidney, and he actually peed across the room,' Karen said, laughing. Everyone in the operating room started cheering. 'Of course, I started bawling like a baby,' Karen said. It all happened so fast that even the doctors who did the surgery were surprised. 'It worked right away, and the numbers started getting better,' Riella said. After waking up from surgery, Andrews felt 'reenergized and revitalized.' 'I was alive, and I hadn't been in a long time,' he said. He hopped off the bed and tap-danced across the room, he said. His mind felt clear. 'It was a miracle,' Andrews said. So much so, he declared that he had a new birthday. 'I said 'look at me, it's like I'm like a new man,' ' he said. 'It's like new birth. I said, 'I've got a new birthday. 1/25/25 is my new birthday.' ' After the transplant, Andrews spent a week in the hospital but only out of an abundance of caution. In the months since, he's had a few 'small bumps in the road,' including a three-week hospital stay. But the pig kidney does what a kidney from a living human donor would do. Life is returning to normal. Andrews cooks, vacuums and takes long walks with his dog, Cupcake. He currently takes more than 50 pills every day as the doctors try to figure out the type of medications he'll need with his new kidney. But living without dialysis has made such a difference. 'Basically, I was just sleeping, sick all the time. Now I can do anything I want,' Andrews said. He even lets himself picture a future. He can't wait to see his grandkids again. 'They saw me at the lowest, and now they'll be able to see me alive and laughing and carrying on like Grandpa does,' Andrews said. If all goes well, he hopes to take Karen to Europe in a year. He said they've put it off far too long. Still, Andrews knows that the pig kidney may not work long-term. He's still on the wait list for a human organ. If the pig kidney can act as a bridge that keeps him healthy enough to wait for a match from a human donor, that would be a medical first — and a success. Andrews is the fourth living patient in the US to get a genetically modified pig kidney transplant, and he won't be the last. In addition to the ongoing trial at Mass General in conjunction with biotech firm eGenesis, United Therapeutics Corp – the other main biotech company helping create the pig kidneys – announced in February that it would be allowed to start its own clinical trials with New York University. In March 2024, Richard Slayman became the first living patient in the world to get a genetically modified pig kidney. The operation at Mass General went well, but he died two months later from causes not related to the transplant. Doctors said they learned a lot from their experience with Slayman. He had scarring on his heart after eight years of dialysis, Riella said, and it's probably important to get patients like Andrews, who haven't needed dialysis as long. In April 2024, Lisa Pisano became the first person to receive a mechanical heart pump as well as a gene-edited pig kidney. The organ failed due to limited blood flow and was removed the next month. She died in July 2024. Then, in November 2024, NYU transplanted 53-year-old Towana Looney with a genetically modified pig kidney. It functioned for four months and nine days, the longest yet, but doctors had to remove it in April when her immune system started to reject it. Figuring out how to manage rejection is going to be key, doctors say. The pig kidneys Andrews and Slayman got had 69 genomic edits, while Looney's had fewer. Doctors say they still don't know how many edits are necessary, but both versions of the modified pig kidneys had pig genes removed and human genes added to make the organ more compatible with the human body. Patients also receive anti-rejection drugs and wearable remote monitoring tools. But doctors still are figuring out how much medicine and monitoring is needed. 'It is a learning curve,' Riella said. Riella is hopeful xenotransplantation may one day solve the world's organ shortage. 'I think patients like Tim will be remembered as heroes,' he said. 'Without them willing to take the risk, we wouldn't be able to move this to the clinic.' Andrews remembers what it felt like to have to make the choice. But he also remembers what it was like to sit for hours at the dialysis center. 'It's hard to come to terms with mortality. You think 'ah, I can handle that' and everything, but it's tough,' he said recently, back in the green chair where he underwent dialysis. 'It was very tough to realize that was it. 'I was going to die in this building.' He found a way out. He hopes his story will inspire others to look for hope, too. 'I see way too many people give up,' Andrews said. 'Don't give up.' CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Amanda Sealy, Nadia Kounang, Rayna Sims and Melissa Dunst Lipman contributed to this report.
CNN
14-05-2025
- Health
- CNN
He was tired of just surviving. A pig kidney gave him a shot at living
EDITOR'S NOTE: Watch 'Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Animal Pharm' on Sunday, May 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CNN. Tim Andrews knew that he needed dialysis to manage his end-stage kidney disease, but over months of treatment, he started to wonder whether it was worth it. He was exhausted and hopeless. He missed his grandkids. It kept him alive, but it didn't feel like living. Desperate for another option, he found a surprising alternative: an organ from a pig. Andrews, 67, is a pioneer of a new kind of medicine. In January, he had an experimental cross-species transplant of a kidney from a genetically modified pig. He is one of only a handful of patients who have undergone the experimental procedure. For now, he's the lone person in the United States known to be living with a pig kidney. Andrews knew that there was a risk to trying something so new, but if the kidney gave him just one more day free from dialysis, it was worth it — for him and for fellow patients. 'This will do something for humanity,' Andrews said. Andrews had been living with diabetes since the 1990s, managing the condition with insulin. About 2½ years ago, he went to the doctor feeling unusually tired. Tests showed that he had stage 3 kidney failure — his kidneys were still working but less efficiently than they should. He was relieved to learn that it was manageable with medication, monitoring and lifestyle changes. But about a month later, a doctor delivered more bad news: Andrews' kidney disease had rapidly progressed to end-stage disease. Dialysis was the only option to keep him alive until he could get an organ transplant. Dialysis is highly effective at cleaning the blood, but it places a 'huge burden' on the body, Andrews' doctors told CNN. At first, Andrews thought it was going well. But about six months in, he had a heart attack. 'It takes a toll on you, emotionally and physically,' said Andrews, who lives in New Hampshire. He was tempted to forgo dialysis entirely until a doctor warned that if he did so, he should 'pick a box.' With the state his kidneys were in, his body would be in it within a couple months. For six hours, three days a week, he kept at it. On days off, he'd sleep. By the time he woke up, he'd have to start the process all over again. When he thinks about his experience with dialysis, Andrews appreciates what the doctors and nurses did to keep him alive. But when he kept having to sit in that oversized green chair hooked up to the dialysis machine, the whole situation hurt his spirit, too. He was too tired to walk or get groceries. He couldn't eat. Even in the few hours he felt OK, his immune system was so weak that he had to avoid crowds. Dialysis meant no more Red Sox games, no more fun with grandchildren, no more travel. As the hours ticked past, he couldn't think about gratitude. All he could think about was death. The dialysis side effects got so bad that he wanted to quit, but his wife, Karen, wouldn't let him. He also kept hearing his father's voice in his mind, telling him to stop complaining and start doing something about his situation. Andrews learned that his odds of getting a human kidney donation were not good. Nearly 90,0000 people are on the waiting list for a kidney in the US. Most don't get a transplant because they become too sick or die while waiting for a match. Andrews' chances were slimmer than most because of his rare blood type. People typically wait about three to five years for a donor kidney. For him, it would likely be seven to 10 years. Doctors thought his body could take only five years of dialysis. 'I was a little short there,' Andrews said. 'I know what end-stage means.' But his research gave him hope. Massachusetts General Hospital was also investigating animal alternatives. He demanded that the hospital liaison put him in touch with one of the doctors from that project: Dr. Leonardo Riella, medical director of kidney transplantation at Mass General. When they first met, Andrews was 'very frail,' Riella said. He arrived in a wheelchair. But when Riella mentioned what's known as xenotransplantation — transplants using genetically modified pig organs — Andrews' eyes 'sparked.' 'He said 'Tell me what I need to do.' ' Riella told Andrews he'd need to get a lot stronger if he wanted a transplant of any kind. 'They said, 'Prepare your body for battle,' ' Andrews' wife, Karen, remembered. For the next few months, Andrews went to the gym and physical therapy, got his teeth fixed, got several vaccines and lost 22 pounds. When he went back to the clinic a few months later, Riella said, Andrews was 'almost running around the room.' He talked to people about the procedure. He prayed. His wife, Karen, also had to agree: If they got the green light, she would need to sign consent papers. On the slim chance he got a virus from the organ, she'd be exposed to it, too. 'I was a little taken aback by that,' Karen said. But she didn't have any doubt that this transplant, though unusual, was the right way to go. 'It has to be better than dialysis,' she said. 'He was just feeling so awful all the time.' In January, it was finally time. On surgery day, his family hugged and kissed him good-bye. Karen gave him a high-five and wished him luck. The procedure was supposed to take four hours, but only about two hours and 15 minutes in, Karen said, her phone rang. The doctors were done early and said it went 'unbelievably well.' A team of doctors told Karen that they had successfully attached the genetically modified pig kidney alongside Andrews' nonfunctioning organ. 'They put the kidney on the table and started connecting him to the kidney, and he actually peed across the room,' Karen said, laughing. Everyone in the operating room started cheering. 'Of course, I started bawling like a baby,' Karen said. It all happened so fast that even the doctors who did the surgery were surprised. 'It worked right away, and the numbers started getting better,' Riella said. After waking up from surgery, Andrews felt 'reenergized and revitalized.' 'I was alive, and I hadn't been in a long time,' he said. He hopped off the bed and tap-danced across the room, he said. His mind felt clear. 'It was a miracle,' Andrews said. So much so, he declared that he had a new birthday. 'I said 'look at me, it's like I'm like a new man,' ' he said. 'It's like new birth. I said, 'I've got a new birthday. 1/25/25 is my new birthday.' ' After the transplant, Andrews spent a week in the hospital but only out of an abundance of caution. In the months since, he's had a few 'small bumps in the road,' including a three-week hospital stay. But the pig kidney does what a kidney from a living human donor would do. Life is returning to normal. Andrews cooks, vacuums and takes long walks with his dog, Cupcake. He currently takes more than 50 pills every day as the doctors try to figure out the type of medications he'll need with his new kidney. But living without dialysis has made such a difference. 'Basically, I was just sleeping, sick all the time. Now I can do anything I want,' Andrews said. He even lets himself picture a future. He can't wait to see his grandkids again. 'They saw me at the lowest, and now they'll be able to see me alive and laughing and carrying on like Grandpa does,' Andrews said. If all goes well, he hopes to take Karen to Europe in a year. He said they've put it off far too long. Still, Andrews knows that the pig kidney may not work long-term. He's still on the wait list for a human organ. If the pig kidney can act as a bridge that keeps him healthy enough to wait for a match from a human donor, that would be a medical first — and a success. Andrews is the fourth living patient in the US to get a genetically modified pig kidney transplant, and he won't be the last. In addition to the ongoing trial at Mass General in conjunction with biotech firm eGenesis, United Therapeutics Corp – the other main biotech company helping create the pig kidneys – announced in February that it would be allowed to start its own clinical trials with New York University. In March 2024, Richard Slayman became the first living patient in the world to get a genetically modified pig kidney. The operation at Mass General went well, but he died two months later from causes not related to the transplant. Doctors said they learned a lot from their experience with Slayman. He had scarring on his heart after eight years of dialysis, Riella said, and it's probably important to get patients like Andrews, who haven't needed dialysis as long. In April 2024, Lisa Pisano became the first person to receive a mechanical heart pump as well as a gene-edited pig kidney. The organ failed due to limited blood flow and was removed the next month. She died in July 2024. Then, in November 2024, NYU transplanted 53-year-old Towana Looney with a genetically modified pig kidney. It functioned for four months and nine days, the longest yet, but doctors had to remove it in April when her immune system started to reject it. Figuring out how to manage rejection is going to be key, doctors say. The pig kidneys Andrews and Slayman got had 69 genomic edits, while Looney's had fewer. Doctors say they still don't know how many edits are necessary, but both versions of the modified pig kidneys had pig genes removed and human genes added to make the organ more compatible with the human body. Patients also receive anti-rejection drugs and wearable remote monitoring tools. But doctors still are figuring out how much medicine and monitoring is needed. 'It is a learning curve,' Riella said. Riella is hopeful xenotransplantation may one day solve the world's organ shortage. 'I think patients like Tim will be remembered as heroes,' he said. 'Without them willing to take the risk, we wouldn't be able to move this to the clinic.' Andrews remembers what it felt like to have to make the choice. But he also remembers what it was like to sit for hours at the dialysis center. 'It's hard to come to terms with mortality. You think 'ah, I can handle that' and everything, but it's tough,' he said recently, back in the green chair where he underwent dialysis. 'It was very tough to realize that was it. 'I was going to die in this building.' He found a way out. He hopes his story will inspire others to look for hope, too. 'I see way too many people give up,' Andrews said. 'Don't give up.' CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Amanda Sealy, Nadia Kounang, Rayna Sims and Melissa Dunst Lipman contributed to this report.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
What are your questions about the future of organ transplants?
Transplanting animal organs into humans, known as xenotransplantation, has long felt like science fiction. But in the past few years, several such procedures have taken place using organs from genetically modified pigs. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explored the experimental transplants in a new documentary, 'Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Animal Pharm,' that debuts at Sunday, May 18, at 8 p.m. ET. What do you want to know about xenotransplantation and the future of organ transplants? Share your questions with CNN below.
