Richard Slayman, the 62-year-old who made history by receiving the world’s first genetically modified pig kidney transplant in March, has died, his family announced on Saturday.

Mr Slayman underwent the successful four-hour surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital and was released just two weeks later in April. While the cause of his sudden death remains unknown, the hospital has confirmed it was not related to the transplant, ABC News reported.

“The Mass General transplant team is deeply saddened at the sudden passing of Mr. Rick Slayman. We have no indication that it was the result of his recent transplant,” Massachusetts General Hospital said in a statement.

Richard Slayman, a resident of Weymouth, Massachusetts, had battled Type 2 diabetes and hypertension for years before receiving the transplant. Before the groundbreaking pig kidney transplant, Mr Slayman had a long history of managing Type 2 diabetes and hypertension. He also relied on dialysis for several years before receiving a human kidney transplant in December 2018, performed by the same Massachusetts General Hospital team. 

Unfortunately, the transplanted kidney from the human donor functioned for about five years before showing signs of rejection. In May 2023, Mr. Slayman had to return to dialysis treatment, which significantly impacted his quality of life, according to the hospital.

“Mr. Slayman will forever be seen as a beacon of hope to countless transplant patients worldwide and we are deeply grateful for his trust and willingness to advance the field of xenotransplantation. We offer our heartfelt condolences to Mr Slayman’s family and loved ones as they remember an extraordinary person whose generosity and kindness touched all who knew him,” the hospital’s statement read.

The kidney used in the transplant came from eGenesis, a Cambridge-based pharmaceutical company. This pioneering organ was harvested from a pig genetically modified using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. According to Massachusetts General Hospital, the modification process involved removing incompatible pig genes and introducing specific human genes to enhance compatibility with the recipient’s body.

In a heartfelt statement, Mr Slayman’s family expressed their deepest appreciation to the doctors and the entire care team at Massachusetts General Hospital.

“Our family is deeply saddened about the sudden passing of our beloved Rick but take great comfort knowing he inspired so many. Millions of people worldwide have come to know Rick’s story. We felt – and still feel – comforted by the optimism he provided patients desperately waiting for a transplant.”

“We are extremely grateful to his care team across Massachusetts General Hospital and Mass General Brigham, especially Dr Williams, Dr Kawai, and Dr Riella, who truly did everything they could to help give Rick a second chance. Their enormous efforts leading the xenotransplant gave our family seven more weeks with Rick, and our memories made during that time will remain in our minds and hearts.”

Mr Slayman’s family revealed that one of his driving forces behind the transplant was the desire to offer hope to the countless individuals battling end-stage organ failure and desperately waiting for a lifesaving transplant. 

“Rick accomplished that goal and his hope and optimism will endure forever. His legacy will be one that inspires patients, researchers, and health care professionals everywhere.”

In a medical first, a 62-year-old man has been discharged from Massachusetts General Hospital after receiving a successful kidney transplant from a genetically modified pig, BBC reported. This breakthrough, following past unsuccessful attempts using pig organs, is hailed by scientists as a historic milestone that could revolutionize organ transplantation.

The news was shared in a press release on Wednesday by MGH, which is Harvard Medical School’s largest teaching hospital in the US city of Boston.

The hospital said the patient Richard “Rick” Slayman of Weymouth, Massachusetts, was battling end-stage kidney disease and required an organ transplant. On March 16, his doctors successfully transplanted a genetically-edited pig kidney into his body over a four-hour-long surgery.

The doctors said that Mr Slayman’s kidney is now functioning well and he no longer requires dialysis. 

Mr Slayman in a statement said that being able to leave the hospital and go home was “one of the happiest moments” of his life.

“I’m excited to resume spending time with my family, friends, and loved ones free from the burden of dialysis that has affected my quality of life for many years.”

In 2018, he underwent a kidney transplant from a dead human donor. However, last year, the transplanted kidney started to deteriorate, prompting doctors to suggest the possibility of a pig kidney transplant.

“I saw it not only as a way to help me, but a way to provide hope for the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive,” he said.

The new pig kidney he received was modified by Cambridge-based pharmaceutical company eGenesis to remove “harmful pig genes and add certain human genes to improve its compatibility with humans,” it said.

The hospital noted that for this procedure, it leveraged its legacy as the pioneer of the world’s first successful human organ transplant – a kidney – in 1954. Additionally, it referenced ongoing research conducted in collaboration with eGenesis on xenotransplantation (the transplantation of organs between different species) over the preceding five years.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the procedure under a single Expanded Access Protocol, commonly known as compassionate use, typically reserved for patients with life-threatening conditions to grant them access to experimental treatments.

The transplant team celebrated this milestone as a historic advancement that could offer a promising solution to the global organ shortage, particularly benefiting ethnic minority communities who are disproportionately affected by the shortage.

“An abundant supply of organs resulting from this technological advance may go far to finally achieve health equity and offer the best solution to kidney failure – a well-functioning kidney – to all patients in need,” said Winfred Williams, Mr Slayman’s doctor at MGH.