A medical team at Xijing Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University has transplanted the kidney of a multigene-edited pig into a patient with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

The medical team makes the first xenogeneic kidney transplant in Asia. [Photo/WeChat account of Xi'an Release]

The surgery, which was performed by Chinese scientists under the guidance of Academician Dou Kefeng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is the first of its kind in Asia and the fifth in the world.

This is another clinical breakthrough in Xijing Hospital's xenotransplantation research, following the gene-edited pig-brain death receptor xenograft on Jan 7, an international first.

Academician Dou Kefeng performs surgery with the team. [Photo/WeChat account of Xi'an Release]

According to Director Qin Weijun of Xijing Hospital, the development of xenotransplantation has brought new hope to patients with ESRD. It significantly expands the range of donor sources and provides timely treatment. The team will continue to monitor the status of the patient and the transplanted kidney, and combine them with previous plans to overcome difficulties such as immune rejection, coagulation disorders, and pathogenic infections.

This groundbreaking research provides new ideas for the clinical treatment of ESRD patients, confirming the possibility and effectiveness of xenotransplantation in clinical practice. In the future, xenotransplantation is expected to become an important means to solve organ shortage problems and bring a turning point to more patients' lives," said Dou.