2026-03-02 14:14:48

Pigs could soon be bred to save human lives.

A leading US biotech firm has revealed plans to farm genetically edited pigs specifically for organ transplants – with hopes of supplying up to 6,000 hearts, kidneys and other vital organs every year by 2028.

United Therapeutics says the animals’ DNA is altered to reduce the risk of rejection, while organ growth is carefully controlled so they remain human-sized.

The move comes as transplant waiting lists continue to soar. In the UK alone, a record 8,200 patients are currently waiting for a life-saving organ, with kidneys in highest demand due to rising cases of diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Countries including the US and China are facing similar shortages.

Recent medical breakthroughs have already seen terminally ill patients receive pig kidneys, hearts, lungs and livers in experimental “xeno-transplants” – using organs from another species.

Until now, such procedures have largely been used as a last resort for patients with only days or weeks left to live.

But scientists hope to refine the technique so pig organs can function for years.

Dr David Ayares, chief scientific officer at United Therapeutics, said: “There continues to be an incredible shortage of organs.

“We see xeno-transplantation as one of the solutions.”

The company is set to begin formal trials of pig heart transplants in seriously ill patients later this year.

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