eGenesis

Science fiction became reality this year when the first human patient received a pig-kidney transplant from eGenesis, a company that genetically engineers pigs to make their organs less porcine and more human for transplantation. Although the patient died months later from unrelated issues, the transplant could be the start of a new source of organs to address a critical shortage. CEO Mike Curtis plans to ask the U.S. FDA to greenlight the next patient, expand the number of animals it breeds, and work on transplanting other organs, including the liver, this year. Questions still swirl about how long the transplants will last in humans, and how exactly they need to be tweaked, but for now, the pig organs are buying patients precious time and could help many live healthier lives.