“If appropriate changes are made to law 40/2004 on animal testing which currently prohibits the use of transgenic animals – and this is the time to do so – the transplant landscape will change. Xenotransplants, the grafting of animal organs into humans , could also become a reality in Italy within the next 5 years. It could bring about a substantial change in the field of transplants, making it possible to eliminate the shortage of organs through a combination of xenotransplants, artificial intelligence, regenerative medicine and bioartificial organs.” Loreto Gesualdo, professor of Nephrology at the University of Bari and president of Fism, the Federation of Italian medical-scientific societies, is convinced of this, commenting with Adnkronos Salute on the story of the first living patient to whom a kidney was recently transplanted of transgenic pig.
“The return home of Richard 'Rick' Slayman, the 62-year-old to whom a genetically modified pig kidney was successfully transplanted last March 16, represents an epochal turning point – says Gesualdo – The news that the patient is well is a source of great joy for all of us. This success represents a real revolution in the field of transplants, it could also allow us in Italy to reduce waiting lists and eliminate the need for dialysis”.
For this reason, the Institute of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplant of the Polyclinic of Bari has started a collaboration with the group of veterinary surgeons directed by Antonio Crovace and belonging to the DiMePre-J of the University of Bari-Aldo Moro. “This collaboration – explains the nephrologist – has the aim of opening new structures capable of producing and making pig organs available for patients. All this – he specifies – will only be possible after appropriate changes have been made to law 40/ 2004 on animal testing which currently prohibits the use of transgenic animals” in Italy.
“Since xenotransplantation is a technique that is heavily under development and testing, it is to be hoped – adds Gesualdo – that in the future the current regulations can be modified to regulate its application in Italy. Therefore, it is our duty to invest in these new clinical applications. After all, how can we progress, arriving at clinical applications, without basic research?”.
According to the expert, there is currently “a gray area in the legislation on animal-to-human transplants, where the regulations do not provide clear and complete guidance regarding ethical protocols” and the “legal responsibilities associated with this innovative practice”.
In Italy today – according to data from the National Transplant Center – around 6 thousand patients are on the list for a kidney transplant, for an average wait of 3 years and 2 months “during which we record a mortality of 15% every year (equal to 900 patients who died every 12 months) undergoing replacement treatment with dialysis. Far too many” concludes the nephrologist.
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