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Schmoeckel M, Längin M, Reichart B, Abicht JM, Bender M, Michel S, Kamla CE, Denner J, Tönjes RR, Schwinzer R, Marckmann G, Wolf E, Brenner P, Hagl C. Current Status of Cardiac Xenotransplantation: Report of a Workshop of the German Heart Transplant Centers, Martinsried, March 3, 2023. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2024; 72:273-284. [PMID: 38154473 PMCID: PMC11147670 DOI: 10.1055/a-2235-8854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
This report comprises the contents of the presentations and following discussions of a workshop of the German Heart Transplant Centers in Martinsried, Germany on cardiac xenotransplantation. The production and current availability of genetically modified donor pigs, preservation techniques during organ harvesting, and immunosuppressive regimens in the recipient are described. Selection criteria for suitable patients and possible solutions to the problem of overgrowth of the xenotransplant are discussed. Obviously microbiological safety for the recipient and close contacts is essential, and ethical considerations to gain public acceptance for clinical applications are addressed. The first clinical trial will be regulated and supervised by the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute as the National Competent Authority for Germany, and the German Heart Transplant Centers agreed to cooperatively select the first patients for cardiac xenotransplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Schmoeckel
- Herzchirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, LMU Klinikum, LMU München, Germany
| | - Matthias Längin
- Klinik für Anaesthesiologie, LMU Klinikum, LMU München, Germany
- DFG-Transregio-Sonderforschungsbereich TR127—Xenotransplantation, Walter-Brendel-Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, LMU München, Germany
| | - Bruno Reichart
- DFG-Transregio-Sonderforschungsbereich TR127—Xenotransplantation, Walter-Brendel-Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, LMU München, Germany
| | - Jan-Michael Abicht
- Klinik für Anaesthesiologie, LMU Klinikum, LMU München, Germany
- DFG-Transregio-Sonderforschungsbereich TR127—Xenotransplantation, Walter-Brendel-Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, LMU München, Germany
| | - Martin Bender
- Klinik für Anaesthesiologie, LMU Klinikum, LMU München, Germany
- DFG-Transregio-Sonderforschungsbereich TR127—Xenotransplantation, Walter-Brendel-Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, LMU München, Germany
| | - Sebastian Michel
- Herzchirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, LMU Klinikum, LMU München, Germany
- DFG-Transregio-Sonderforschungsbereich TR127—Xenotransplantation, Walter-Brendel-Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, LMU München, Germany
| | | | - Joachim Denner
- DFG-Transregio-Sonderforschungsbereich TR127—Xenotransplantation, Walter-Brendel-Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, LMU München, Germany
- Institut für Virologie, Fachbereich für Veterinärmedizin, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ralf Reinhard Tönjes
- DFG-Transregio-Sonderforschungsbereich TR127—Xenotransplantation, Walter-Brendel-Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, LMU München, Germany
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Reinhard Schwinzer
- DFG-Transregio-Sonderforschungsbereich TR127—Xenotransplantation, Walter-Brendel-Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, LMU München, Germany
- Klinik für Allgemein-, Viszeral- und Transplantationschirurgie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Georg Marckmann
- DFG-Transregio-Sonderforschungsbereich TR127—Xenotransplantation, Walter-Brendel-Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, LMU München, Germany
- Institut für Ethik, Geschichte und Theorie der Medizin, LMU München, Germany
| | - Eckhard Wolf
- DFG-Transregio-Sonderforschungsbereich TR127—Xenotransplantation, Walter-Brendel-Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, LMU München, Germany
- Lehrstuhl für Molekulare Tierzucht und Biotechnologie, Genzentrum der LMU München, Germany
| | - Paolo Brenner
- Herzchirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, LMU Klinikum, LMU München, Germany
- DFG-Transregio-Sonderforschungsbereich TR127—Xenotransplantation, Walter-Brendel-Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, LMU München, Germany
| | - Christian Hagl
- Herzchirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, LMU Klinikum, LMU München, Germany
- DZHK (Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung e.V.), Partner Site Munich, Germany
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Reichart B, Cooper DKC, Längin M, Tönjes RR, Pierson RN, Wolf E. Cardiac xenotransplantation: from concept to clinic. Cardiovasc Res 2023; 118:3499-3516. [PMID: 36461918 PMCID: PMC9897693 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvac180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
For many patients with terminal/advanced cardiac failure, heart transplantation is the most effective, durable treatment option, and offers the best prospects for a high quality of life. The number of potentially life-saving donated human organs is far fewer than the population who could benefit from a new heart, resulting in increasing numbers of patients awaiting replacement of their failing heart, high waitlist mortality, and frequent reliance on interim mechanical support for many of those deemed among the best candidates but who are deteriorating as they wait. Currently, mechanical assist devices supporting left ventricular or biventricular heart function are the only alternative to heart transplant that is in clinical use. Unfortunately, the complication rate with mechanical assistance remains high despite advances in device design and patient selection and management, and the quality of life of the patients even with good outcomes is only moderately improved. Cardiac xenotransplantation from genetically multi-modified (GM) organ-source pigs is an emerging new option as demonstrated by the consistent long-term success of heterotopic (non-life-supporting) abdominal and life-supporting orthotopic porcine heart transplantation in baboons, and by a recent 'compassionate use' transplant of the heart from a GM pig with 10 modifications into a terminally ill patient who survived for 2 months. In this review, we discuss pig heart xenotransplantation as a concept, including pathobiological aspects related to immune rejection, coagulation dysregulation, and detrimental overgrowth of the heart, as well as GM strategies in pigs to prevent or minimize these problems. Additional topics discussed include relevant results of heterotopic and orthotopic heart transplantation experiments in the pig-to-baboon model, microbiological and virologic safety concepts, and efficacy requirements for initiating formal clinical trials. An adequate regulatory and ethical framework as well as stringent criteria for the selection of patients will be critical for the safe clinical development of cardiac xenotransplantation, which we expect will be clinically tested during the next few years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Reichart
- Walter Brendel Centre for Experimental Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich 81377, Germany
| | - David K C Cooper
- Center for Transplantation Sciences, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Matthias Längin
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich 81377, Germany
| | - Ralf R Tönjes
- Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen 63225, Germany
| | - Richard N Pierson
- Center for Transplantation Sciences, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Eckhard Wolf
- Gene Centre and Centre for Innovative Medical Models (CiMM), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich 81377, Germany
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Entwistle JW, Sade RM, Drake DH. Clinical xenotransplantation seems close: Ethical issues persist. Artif Organs 2022; 46:987-994. [PMID: 35451522 DOI: 10.1111/aor.14255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Scientific barriers that have prevented successful xenotransplantation are being breached, yet many ethical issues remain. Some are broad issues that accompany the adoption of novel and expensive technologies, and some are unique to xenotransplantation. Major ethical questions include areas such as: viral transmission; zoonoses and lifetime surveillance; interfering with nature; efficacy, access, and expense; treatment of animals; regulation and oversight.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Entwistle
- Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Robert M Sade
- Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Daniel H Drake
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Kwisda K, Cantz T, Hoppe N. Reply to 'Clarifying US regulations on xenotransplantation' and 'International standards and guidelines for xenotransplantation'. Nat Biotechnol 2021; 39:1503. [PMID: 34857930 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-021-01151-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Koko Kwisda
- CELLS - Centre for Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany. .,REBIRTH-AG Translational Hepatology and Stem Cell Biology, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Tobias Cantz
- REBIRTH-AG Translational Hepatology and Stem Cell Biology, Hannover, Germany.,Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Nils Hoppe
- REBIRTH-AG Translational Hepatology and Stem Cell Biology, Hannover, Germany.,Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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