NYU Langone Transplants Pig Kidney into Brain-Dead Patient: A Proof of Concept

When I first learned about this experiment, it felt like a turning point. In October 2021, a surgical team at NYU Langone Health attached a genetically modified pig kidney to a brain-dead human patient. The kidney functioned normally for 54 hours — producing urine and filtering waste — without triggering the hyperacute immune rejection that had doomed every previous animal-to-human organ transplant attempt. 54 hours of a pig kidney working inside a human body. After a family member needed a kidney transplant, breakthroughs like this one land differently for me.

The Experiment

The pig kidney came from a GalSafe pig, genetically engineered by Revivicor to lack a sugar molecule (alpha-gal) on its cells that triggers immediate immune rejection in humans. The kidney was attached to the blood vessels in the patient's upper leg, outside the body, where researchers could observe it directly. The patient's family consented to the experiment before the individual was taken off life support.

"This is a transformative moment. For the first time, a pig kidney functioned in a human without immediate rejection. This opens the door to a new era of transplantation." — Dr. Robert Montgomery, director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute

Why This Mattered

Previous attempts at xenotransplantation had failed largely because of hyperacute rejection — the human immune system would destroy the foreign organ within minutes to hours. By removing the alpha-gal gene from the pig, the NYU team eliminated this first barrier. The kidney not only survived but actively functioned, producing urine at levels comparable to a human kidney transplant.

A New York Story

The fact that this breakthrough happened at NYU Langone — right here in New York City — makes it personal for me and everyone at YCOD. New York is at the forefront of transplant innovation. But medical breakthroughs alone won't solve the organ shortage. Over 8,000 New Yorkers are on the transplant waitlist today. I think about that number constantly. While pig kidney transplants may eventually help, changing the default saves lives right now. Policy change through opt-out legislation like Bill A07954 doesn't require a single scientific breakthrough — just the political will to act.

"The science is incredible, but we can't wait for pig organs to become routine. People are dying today." — YCOD position statement

The Path Forward

The NYU experiment paved the way for the pig heart transplants at the University of Maryland and subsequent pig kidney transplants in living patients. It proved the concept that genetically modified animal organs can function in human bodies. The road from proof of concept to clinical practice is long, but every step brings us closer. And while that road unfolds, I refuse to wait quietly. 17 people die every day. We at YCOD are fighting for the policy changes that can save lives right now — not someday, but today.