NYU surgeons have successfully transplanted genetically modified pig hearts into two brain -dead people, researchers said yesterday, bringing humanity closer to the long -term goal of transplanting pig organs into humans to solve human organ failure.

At a press conference, surgeons said the two hearts were functioning normally with no signs of decline in the three -day trial in June and July.

The experiments follow the death of a 57-year-old man from heart disease in March, after undergoing a historic operation at the University of Maryland two months before, becoming the first person to undergo a genetically engineered transplant. pig heart. The causes of this heart failure are still unclear.

The researchers said NYU bought two Revivor -modified pig hearts and tested them for viruses using an advanced surveillance protocol. The hearts showed no signs of a swine virus called CMV, which was found in the blood of the Maryland man and may have contributed to his death.

Pigs were given four genetic modifications to prevent heart rejection and abnormal growth of two organs, and six were made to help overcome the incompatibility between pigs and humans.

NYU researchers also transferred pig kidneys to two brain dead people in 2021.

Researchers now believe that external organ transplants are safer in brain dead patients than living patients, and also more beneficial because they can be biopsied and tested more often.