Alabama woman has pig kidney removed after a record 130 days

An Alabama woman, Towana Looney, made history by living with a pig kidney for a record 130 days before her body began to reject it. Following her surgery at NYU Langone Health on April 4, Looney returned home to Gadsden, Ala., expressing gratitude to her doctors for allowing her to be a part of groundbreaking research.
Despite the setback of her body rejecting the pig kidney, doctors have successfully transitioned Looney back to dialysis. The experience provided valuable insights for medical professionals on the journey towards finding a solution for kidney disease. In an interview with The Associated Press, Looney shared, “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 overcoming kidney disease.”
Looney, who had been receiving dialysis since 2016 and was at high risk of rejecting a human kidney, has referred to herself as “superwoman” for living longer than anyone with a gene-edited pig organ. The pig kidney transplant recipient had the organ from her November 25 surgery until early April.
Dr. Robert Montgomery, Looney’s surgeon, mentioned that the rejection is currently under investigation. The decision to remove the pig kidney was made in consideration of minimizing risks, as attempting to save it could have posed greater dangers. Montgomery emphasized, “She’s no worse off than she was before (the xenotransplant) and she would tell you she’s better off because she had this 4½ month break from dialysis.”
Prior to the rejection, Looney experienced an infection which led to a slight reduction in her immune-suppressing anti-rejection drugs. Simultaneously, her immune system was reactivating after the transplant, potentially contributing to the damage of the new kidney.
In a similar case, Lisa Pisano, the second individual to receive a kidney from a gene-edited pig, also had her kidney removed after it failed, requiring her to resume dialysis. Both cases highlight the complexities and challenges in xenotransplantation, underscoring the importance of continued research in finding innovative solutions for organ shortages.
With over 100,000 people on the U.S. transplant waiting list, the majority in need of a kidney, the demand for viable organs is urgent. Biotech companies are exploring genetic modifications in pigs to create organs that closely resemble human tissue, reducing the risk of rejection by the recipient’s immune system.
The journey of Towana Looney and Lisa Pisano sheds light on the advancements and setbacks in xenotransplantation, offering hope for the future of organ transplantation. Despite the challenges faced, these pioneering individuals have contributed valuable insights that will undoubtedly shape the landscape of medical innovation in the years to come.