Pig skin tested on humans

The skin of genetically modified pigs was used for the first time to treat burns

IA Red Spring

Clinical trials using the skin of genetically modified pigs (xenograft) to temporarily close a severe burn wound have been completed successfully, burn specialists from the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston announced on October 11, according to a press release from Mass General performs first application of genetically modified, live-cell, pig skin to a human wound.

For the treatment of second and third degree burns, allografts are currently used – skin obtained from other people, which is temporarily transplanted to the patient to stabilize the wound. For the first time in the world, doctors from Boston Hospital managed to use pig skin tissue as an alternative to human skin.

The transplant operation was performed under the supervision of Jeremy Goverman, MD, surgeon. During the operation, a xenograft (made of pig skin) measuring 5 by 5 centimeters was placed on top of the burn wound, and an allograft (made of human skin) was placed next to it.

Five days later, both skin grafts were removed to replace the patient's own skin tissue. No side effects were recorded during the use of pigskin, no further complications also occurred.

"This small step that we have taken today was made possible thanks to a huge amount of work – decades of research in many fields, including transplant biology, immunology and genetic engineering," explained surgeon Goverman.

It should be noted that the work on the creation of genetically modified pigs was carried out by the Boston company XenoTherapeutics. In order for the human body not to perceive pig skin as foreign, genes specific only to this species and not present in humans were removed from the pig.

"We have taken a small but unprecedented step in turning xenotransplantation from theory into therapy," said Paul Holzer, CEO of XenoTherapeutics.

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