Researchers in the U.S. are planning to conduct a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of using livers from gene-edited pigs to temporarily filter the blood of patients with sudden liver failure. These livers could potentially allow the patients’ own organs to rest and regenerate. This first-of-its-kind trial has been approved by the FDA and is a collaboration between pig producer eGenesis and OrganOx.
Each year, around 35,000 people in the U.S. are hospitalized due to sudden liver failure, with limited treatment options and high death rates. Many individuals are unable to receive a liver transplant or cannot find a suitable match in time. The new study aims to explore whether the pig liver can support human liver functions for a few days, giving the patient’s own liver a chance to heal.
The trial will involve attaching the pig liver externally to study participants and pumping their blood through it using a device made by OrganOx. This approach differs from traditional animal-to-human organ transplants, as the pig liver will not be transplanted into the patient. The goal is to determine if this method can provide a bridge for the patient’s liver to potentially recover.
This innovative research builds on previous work using gene-edited pig organs in experimental transplants, such as pig kidneys. The trial will enroll up to 20 patients in intensive care units who do not qualify for a liver transplant. If successful, this approach could offer new hope for patients with sudden liver failure who currently have limited treatment options.
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