Chinese scientists keep monkeys alive for six months using genetically modified pig kidneys

China has made a breakthrough in transplanting organs from one species to another: the country’s first genetically modified pig kidney survived for over half a year in a monkey.

To date, the number of clinical studies that could be conducted on human patients has been limited due to the lack of successful long-term animal studies on genetically modified pig organs.

According to the official newspaper Science and Technology Daily, there are only twenty cases in the world of monkeys surviving long-term after transplanting a genetically modified pig kidney.

Chen Gang, who led the team behind the latest experiment at Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology, told the newspaper that this success could advance clinical research in the field.

The team transplanted a single genetically modified pig kidney into a macaque monkey that had its own kidneys removed on May 10. The animal survived for 184 days – which Chen said met the benchmark for long-term survival.

The kidney functioned normally for five months, but after that point its condition deteriorated and researchers confirmed that rejection of the kidney occurred.