- Comparing Whey and Plant-Based Protein: Which is Best?
- How Long Does Nicotine Remain in Your System?
- The Best Time of Day to Drink Bone Broth to Maximize Health Benefits
- 8 Ways to Increase Dopamine Naturally
- 7 Best Breads for Maintaining Stable Blood Sugar
- Gelatin vs. Collagen: Which is Best for Skin, Nails, and Joints?
- The Long-Term Effects of Daily Turmeric Supplements on Liver Health
- Could Your Grocery Store Meat Be Causing Recurring UTIs?
- Are You Making This Expensive Thermostat Error This Winter?
- Recognizing the Signs of Hypothyroidism
New Trial Will Test Gene-Edited Pig Liver for Sudden Liver Failure Patients
A new clinical trial will soon test if a pig liver can help people whose own livers have suddenly stopped working.
The hope? That animal organs can temporarily filter a patient’s blood, giving their own liver time to rest and possibly recover.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first-of-its-kind study, according to eGenesis, a Massachusetts-based company that produces gene-edited pigs, the Associated Press reported.
The company is partnering with OrganOx, a British firm that makes organ-preserving machines, to run the study.
Each year, about 35,000 people in the United States are hospitalized with sudden liver failure.
Treatment options are limited, and the condition has a death rate as high as 50%. Many patients don’t qualify for a liver transplant or can’t get one in time.
Instead of a full transplant, researchers plan to hook patients up to a machine that attaches the pig liver externally. The device — made by OrganOx — pumps the patient’s blood through the pig liver to filter it.
The liver is the only organ in the body that can actually regenerate, so researchers will need to see whether having the pig’s liver filter the patient’s blood for several days could give it that chance, the Associated Press reported.
In earlier lab tests using four cadavers, the pig liver helped support some human liver functions for two to three days, Mike Curtis, CEO of eGenesis, said.
The new trial will enroll up to 20 patients in intensive care who aren’t eligible for a transplant.
The study is part of a larger push to see if organs from gene-edited pigs can be used to help people. Other trials are testing pig kidneys from both eGenesis and United Therapeutics in experimental transplants, the Associated Press reported.
More information
The National Kidney Foundation has more on xenotransplantation.
SOURCE: Associated Press, April 15, 2025
Source: HealthDay
Copyright © 2026 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Related
-
Navigating Your Midlife Crisis: Embracing New PossibilitiesA midlife crisis can open doors to personal growth...
- December 4, 2025
-
Want A Happier Hospital? Hire More Nurses, Study SaysAdding even a few extra nurses can dramatically reduce...
- November 20, 2025
-
Plasma Treatment Shows Promise For Menopause Symptoms Among Breast Cancer SurvivorsPlasma infusions may help breast cancer survivors avoid genital...
- November 20, 2025
-
Self-Hypnosis Can Thwart Hot FlashesSelf-hypnosis might help some women in menopause find relief...
- November 14, 2025
