Friday, July 11, 2025

Survival Story: How a Pig’s Heart is Keeping a Monkey Alive!

Korea Institute of Toxicology

A monkey in South Korea has been living for over 100 days after receiving a heart transplant from a pig. As the path to extending life by transplanting pig organs into humans is being opened around the world, the success of such research in Korea is expected to provide new hope for patients who have no other option than organ transplants.

On May 27, the Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT) announced that a primate that received a heart transplant from a genetically modified mini pig survived for 100 days, setting a record for the longest survival among primates in Korea that have received cross-species heart transplants. The previous record for the longest survival of a primate receiving a cross-species heart transplant was 60 days by a Konkuk University Medical Center research team.

The research team aims for one clinical application each in the fields of cross-species cells, tissues, and solid organs such as kidneys, hearts, and livers by 2027.

Dr. Hwang Jeong Ho’s animal model research group at the Korea Institute of Toxicology, in collaboration with Professor Yoon Ik Jin from the Department of Surgery at Konkuk University Medical Center and a research team from Optipharm, successfully transplanted a genetically modified mini pig’s heart into a monkey on February 16.

Immune suppression regulation of the monkey receiving the cross-species organ transplant is cited as a key technology. Based on its primate safety evaluation knowledge accumulated over 20 years, the Korea Institute of Toxicology was responsible for monitoring the immune rejection reaction and blood biochemical monitoring of the monkey that received the organ transplant.

Hwang said, “We will use the data from this research as a stepping stone to apply cross-species organ transplantation to clinical practice and ultimately strive to transplant cross-species organs into patients with organ failure.”

Hot this week

Coffee Prices Jump After Trump Hits Brazil With 50% Tariff

Coffee prices surged after Trump's 50% tariff on Brazil, leading to retaliatory measures and a drop in Brazilian stocks.

Trump Pushes New 15–20% Tariffs on U.S. Trading Partners

Trump plans to impose 15%-20% tariffs on many trading partners, including a 35% tariff on Canada starting August 1.

Qualcomm’s Top AI Chip Now Powers the Galaxy Z Fold 7

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite platform will power Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7, enhancing AI and performance in mobile innovation.

Nvidia Hits $4 Trillion Market Cap, Becomes First to Do It

Nvidia breaks the 4 trillion USD market cap, becoming the first to achieve this milestone in the AI semiconductor market.

Wall Street Ends Mixed as Nvidia Nears $4 Trillion, Tesla Rebounds

The NY stock market showed mixed results with Nvidia nearing a $4 trillion cap, while tariffs and Musk's politics impact Tesla.

Topics

Coffee Prices Jump After Trump Hits Brazil With 50% Tariff

Coffee prices surged after Trump's 50% tariff on Brazil, leading to retaliatory measures and a drop in Brazilian stocks.

Trump Pushes New 15–20% Tariffs on U.S. Trading Partners

Trump plans to impose 15%-20% tariffs on many trading partners, including a 35% tariff on Canada starting August 1.

Qualcomm’s Top AI Chip Now Powers the Galaxy Z Fold 7

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite platform will power Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7, enhancing AI and performance in mobile innovation.

Nvidia Hits $4 Trillion Market Cap, Becomes First to Do It

Nvidia breaks the 4 trillion USD market cap, becoming the first to achieve this milestone in the AI semiconductor market.

Wall Street Ends Mixed as Nvidia Nears $4 Trillion, Tesla Rebounds

The NY stock market showed mixed results with Nvidia nearing a $4 trillion cap, while tariffs and Musk's politics impact Tesla.

Oil Prices Climb Again as Red Sea Tensions Escalate

International oil prices rise due to U.S. tariff threats and tensions in the Red Sea, with Brent crude at $70.15 per barrel.

Tesla Tanks $68B as Musk Unveils New Political Party

The New York stock market declines after Trump imposes tariffs on South Korea and Japan, with Tesla losing $68 billion in value.

Oil Prices Climb After Saudi Arabia Hikes Export Rates

Saudi Arabia's surprise oil price hike boosts international oil prices, impacting markets and South Korea's oil imports significantly.

Related Articles