A new immune suppressing therapy is the current topic of discussion, with organ rejection being the primary problem in most xenotransplantation studies. There is a large-scale, severe organ shortage faced by doctors, and according to organdonor.gov, an average of 22 people die each day waiting for the organ that could have saved their life.
In addition to serving as replacements for faulty or damaged human organs, transplantation cross-species could also serve as a treatment for neurodegenerative disorders and diabetes (FDA)
In a new study conducted at the National Heart, Lungs, and Blood Institute led by the University of Maryland School of Medicine and published in Nature Communications, scientists are investigating the possibility that a treatment consisting of anti-CD40 antibody could be the key to helping the transplanted organ resist the immune response indefinitely, ensuring a healthy transition.
Co-author Richard Pierson has studied xenotransplantation for over 30 years.
“We obviously have a lot more work to do, but I'm confident that eventually this will be useful to human patients,” Pierson said.
Source: University of Maryland School of Medicine