Researchers confirm successful rehabilitation and recovery of human donor lungs previously deemed unfit for transplant

Study demonstrates that a novel technique for regenerating donor lungs can increase the number of organs available for life-saving transplantation

NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A novel method for supporting and recovering donor lungs outside the body shows potential to increase the number of organs available for transplant, according to a recent study published in The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.

The organ shortage crisis is increasingly dire, as thousands of patients die every year waiting to receive donor organs. Despite urgent demand, nearly 80% of donated lungs are too damaged for transplantation, often due to reversible conditions. A promising approach to alleviate the organ shortage involves rehabilitation and recovery of these unutilized donor organs.

A cross-disciplinary team of surgeons and bioengineers from Vanderbilt University, Columbia University, Stanford University, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, and Xylyx Bio collaborated to develop a new technique called 'xenogeneic cross-circulation', which involves temporarily connecting a human donor lung to a live pig to support and resuscitate the human organ outside the body.

The study established and validated a standardized technique for performing xenogeneic cross-circulation with donor lungs. Results of the study "Technique for xenogeneic cross-circulation to support human donor lungs ex vivo" are reported in The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, and further confirm the efficacy of the technique to rehabilitate human donor lungs initially deemed unfit for transplantation.

"Despite substantial efforts over many years, few approaches have succeeded in expanding the pool of organs available for transplant," said Dr. Matthew Bacchetta, Surgical Director of the Vanderbilt Respiratory Institute at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and lead author of the study. "Xenogeneic cross-circulation is proving to be a robust method for ex vivo support, evaluation, and improvement of donor lungs." 

"Our technique provides donor organs a healthy blood supply with sustained multisystem physiological regulation – a powerful advantage that is unique in the field," said Dr. John O'Neill, Chief Scientific Officer at Xylyx Bio and co-author of the study. "We're excited about the potential of this technique to increase clinical utilization of donor organs and enable more life-saving transplants for patients in need."

Xylyx Bio, Inc. is a regenerative medicine company harnessing systemic physiology into paradigm-shifting tissue and organ repair technologies.

Contact
Andrea Nye
Xylyx Bio, Inc.
[email protected]

SOURCE Xylyx Bio, Inc.