Japanese biotech firm eyes pig-to-human kidney transplants by 2028

Japanese biotechnology startup PorMedTec is moving closer to bringing pig-to-human kidney transplants into clinical practice, with plans to launch the country’s first human trials in 2028 and seek conditional regulatory approval the following year.

The Kanagawa-based company said it expects the initial clinical studies to be conducted at Hokkaido University Hospital and Shonan Kamakura General Hospital, marking Japan’s first clinical application of xenotransplantation—the transplantation of animal organs into humans.

To support the program, PorMedTec will clone pigs using cells from genetically engineered animals developed by U.S.-based biotech company eGenesis. It also plans to establish kidney extraction facilities near the participating hospitals by 2027 to ensure a steady supply of organs for future transplant procedures.

At a news conference, Dr. Kazunari Tanabe of Shonan Kamakura General Hospital said he had undergone specialized training in harvesting kidneys from pigs. He noted that the animals’ blood vessel structure closely resembles that of humans, allowing surgeons to use the same instruments and surgical techniques employed in human kidney removal.

Interest in xenotransplantation has accelerated following encouraging results from the United States, where four patients who had relied on dialysis for at least two years received genetically modified pig kidneys.

According to Tanabe, the recipients remained free from dialysis for up to nine months after surgery, highlighting the potential of pig-to-human organ transplantation as a future treatment for patients suffering from end-stage kidney disease.

If successful, the Japanese trials could represent a major milestone in addressing the global shortage of donor organs and advancing a new frontier in transplant medicine. TRACY CABRERA