Towana Looney, an Alabama resident, set a record by living with a pig kidney for 130 days, but the organ was removed after her body began rejecting it. Now back home in Gadsden after her surgery at NYU Langone Health, she expressed gratitude to her doctors for the chance to be involved in groundbreaking research. “The opportunity to be part of this incredible research” was something she deeply appreciated, she said.
Looney’s return to dialysis might seem like a setback, but doctors gained crucial insights from her experience. She 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 had been on dialysis since 2016 and was more likely than most to reject a human kidney, according to reports.
After receiving the transplant on November 25, Looney proudly referred to herself as “superwoman,” having outlived anyone else with a gene-edited pig organ. Her journey lasted until early April, marking a significant milestone in xenotransplantation research. Dr. Robert Montgomery, who performed the surgery, explained that removing the kidney was the safest option after the rejection began.
Dr. Montgomery mentioned that the team decided it was less risky to remove the kidney than to attempt saving it. “We did the safe thing,” he said, adding that Looney is “no worse off than she was before” the procedure. In fact, she feels she benefited from a 4½ month break from dialysis.
Looney faced an infection prior to the rejection, and her anti-rejection medication was reduced slightly, which may have contributed to the organ’s failure. Her immune system started to reactivate after the transplant, possibly damaging the new kidney. These factors combined to pose a challenge that ultimately led to the organ’s removal.
In a similar case, Lisa Pisano, the second recipient of a gene-edited pig kidney, also had her organ removed to return to dialysis. Her experience highlights the complexities and challenges faced by those involved in such experimental treatments. Despite these hurdles, the research is seen as a crucial step toward addressing the shortage of donor organs.
The need for organs is critical, with more than 100,000 people on the transplant waiting list in the U.S., most of whom require a kidney. Unfortunately, thousands die each year while waiting. To address this shortage, biotech companies are working on genetically modifying pigs to make their organs more compatible with human bodies.
These efforts aim to create organs that are less likely to be rejected by the human immune system, offering hope to many in need. For Looney and others like her, the research represents a beacon of hope, despite the setbacks. The Associated Press contributed to this report, highlighting the significance of these medical advances.
