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This company plans to transplant pig hearts into babies next year | MIT Technology Review

MIT Technology Review (2023)

eGenesis has started transplanting gene-edited pigs’ hearts into infant baboons—and humans may be next.

The company, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has developed a technique that uses the gene-editing tool CRISPR to make around 70 edits to a pig’s genome. These edits should allow the organs to be successfully transplanted into people, the team says. As soon as next year, eGenesis hopes to transplant pig hearts into babies with serious heart defects. The goal is to buy them more time to wait for a human heart…

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Summary:

Summary: eGenesis, a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is advancing its research on transplanting gene-edited pig hearts into infants with severe heart defects. The company has successfully begun trials by transplanting genetically modified pig hearts into infant baboons and plans to initiate human trials next year. The use of CRISPR technology has facilitated around 70 genetic alterations in pigs, aiming to make their organs viable for transplantation.

Context Addition:

The use of animal organs for human transplantation, known as xenotransplantation, addresses the critical shortage of human organ donors. Genetic modifications through CRISPR not only help to reduce the risk of organ rejection but also enhance the compatibility of animal organs with the human immune system. This innovative approach could significantly improve outcomes for infants awaiting heart transplants, as it provides a temporary solution while they await suitable human donors.

Keywords: xenotransplantation, organ donation, CRISPR technology, genetic modification, healthcare innovation