Gene-Edited Pig Organ Transplant Performed on 53-Year-Old Alabama Woman

In partnership with

Surgeons successfully performed a gene-edited pig kidney transplant on 53-year-old Towana Looney from Alabama, marking the fifth such operation. Looney, who had spent eight years on dialysis, described the experience as "a new beginning," expressing amazement at the energy and vitality she felt with her new kidney.

Novaxidil Triple Action Hair Regrowth Treatment

• Stop Hair Loss, AND Stimulate ReGrowth

• Only Clinically Proven Ingredients

• Minoxidil, K-Conazole, Nicotinamide, Vitamin-K, Biotin, and Collagen Peptides.

Learn more

Dr. Robert Montgomery of NYU Langone Health led the groundbreaking procedure, advancing research in xenotransplantation. Experts believe this new transplant method could offer life-saving solutions for millions facing organ failure.

Looney’s case is particularly unique. After donating one of her kidneys to her mother in 1999, her remaining kidney failed due to pregnancy complications, leaving her in critical condition. Unable to find a suitable donor, she opted for the pig kidney transplant under an FDA-approved emergency protocol, despite the previous deaths of patients who underwent similar procedures.

“You don’t know if it’s going to work or not until you try,” Looney said. She was discharged from the hospital 11 days after the surgery and is expected to return home in three months, with her recovery progressing well.