Science Japanese startup breeds pigs for organ engineering

PorMedTec received edited pig cells from U.S. biomedical company eGenesis in September. The Japanese startup then inserted the cell nuclei into egg cells, later implanted into the uterus, leading to the birth of cloned pigs. A genetically engineered donor organ from a pig is designed not to be rejected by the body's immune system. A pig kidney developed by eGenesis kept a monkey alive for two years after the transplant. [...] The company's first target for clinical application is kidneys, with a serious shortage of donors. About 350,000 people in Japan undergo dialysis due to kidney failure, which requires visiting the hospital several times a week for several hours of treatment, putting a great strain on the body. Domestic medical costs for dialysis reach 1.6 trillion yen ($10.7 billion) annually, about 4% of all medical costs in the country.

Click to expand...