Pol Med Tech plans to conduct Japan's first clinical trials transplanting gene-edited pig kidneys into patients with kidney failure [1], [2].
The initiative aims to provide a critical alternative for patients on transplant waiting lists by addressing the chronic shortage of human organ donors [1], [2].
The venture company, which originated from Meiji University, will collaborate with Hokkaido University Hospital in Sapporo and Shonan Kamakura General Hospital in Kanagawa Prefecture to implement the procedures [1], [2]. The trials are expected to begin as early as 2027 [2] or 2028 [1].
Target candidates for the procedure are expected to be in the 55 to 65 age range [3]. The project follows international precedents, including four cases of pig kidney transplants conducted in the U.S. [4]. One specific case reported by a UCLA research team saw a patient remain free from dialysis for nine months [5].
"I want to provide the option of xenotransplantation in response to the serious shortage of organ transplant donors," a Pol Med Tech representative said [1].
The company is coordinating the regulatory and medical frameworks necessary to move the gene-edited organs from the laboratory to the operating room. The use of genetically modified pigs is intended to reduce the risk of organ rejection, a primary hurdle in xenotransplantation.
"We are proceeding with plans to implement this domestically as early as 2027," the Pol Med Tech representative said [2].
“Japan's first clinical trials transplanting gene-edited pig kidneys into human patients.”
The move toward xenotransplantation in Japan signals a shift toward high-tech biological solutions to solve the organ scarcity crisis. By leveraging gene-editing to make animal organs compatible with humans, medical providers aim to reduce the reliance on human donors and the long-term necessity of dialysis. The success of these trials will likely depend on whether the Japanese patients mirror the dialysis-free durations seen in U.S. cases.
