TapTechNews reported on May 12 that Richard Slayman, the world's first patient to receive a pig kidney transplant, passed away on Saturday at the age of 62.
According to TapTechNews, Slayman underwent the four-hour transplant surgery at a Massachusetts General Hospital in March this year and was discharged two weeks later on April 2. The hospital emphasized that there were no signs indicating Mr. Slayman's sudden death was caused by the transplant surgery, but the cause of death has not been disclosed.
The transplant team at Massachusetts General Hospital is deeply saddened by Mr. Slayman's sudden passing, and there is no evidence to suggest that this is related to his recent transplant surgery, the hospital said in a statement.
It is reported that Slayman, from Waymouth, Massachusetts, had been suffering from type 2 diabetes and hypertension for many years. In December 2018, he underwent a kidney transplant from a deceased human donor at the same hospital, but the kidney started to fail after five years in May 2023, forcing him to undergo dialysis treatment again, severely affecting his quality of life.
Mr. Slayman will always be seen as a beacon of hope for countless transplant patients worldwide. We are deeply grateful for his courage and kindness in trusting us and being willing to make progress in the field of xenotransplantation. Our sincerest condolences go to Mr. Slayman's family and loved ones, commemorating this outstanding individual whose generosity and kindness touched everyone who knew him, the hospital statement read.
The kidney used in the transplant was provided by eGenesis, a pharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, from a pig that had undergone CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. According to the hospital, this editing technique removed harmful pig genes and added certain human genes to enhance its compatibility with humans.