Supercooled Pig Kidneys Survive 72 Hours and Transplant Successfully in Landmark Study

Executive Briefing

• Researchers developed a pressure-controlled device cooling organs to -4°C without ice formation, tripling standard storage time.
• Transplanted supercooled kidneys recovered faster than 24-hour ice-stored organs, with one pig monitored successfully for 200 days.
• Over 104,000 Americans await kidney transplants; roughly one-in-three donated kidneys are currently discarded due to degradation.
• Extending storage to 72 hours could enable international donations, better donor-recipient matching, and cheaper transport options.
• Researchers plan FDA approval pursuit and a company launch to commercialize the cryoprotectant-free technology in coming months.