Unlike other pigs, the GalSafe pig has a gene capable of avoiding allergies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States recently gave the green light regarding this animal. This will be used to produce drugs, but also meat and other allergenic cosmetics. It can also act as a "reservoir" of human organs for transplantation purposes.
In 2015, researchers at Havard Medical School (USA) had made enormous progress in transplanting organs from pigs into humans. Different countries including China are interested in this kind of "reservoir" of human organs. However, such pigs can also be used to produce medicine and meat, as stated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a press release dated December 14, 2020.
The FDA says it has approved United Therapeutics' GalSafe pig. This one has a gene capable of eliminating the presence of galactose-alpha-1, 3-galactose (alphagal), a sugar molecule. This molecule present in many mammals, but not in humans can cause allergies in some people. It can also be a source of rejection of animal transplants by the human body.
“ The very first approval of an animal biotechnology product both for food and as a potential source of biomedical use represents an important milestone for the scientific innovation", said FDA official Stephen M. Hahn.
According to United Therapeutics, the main objective is to manufacture medical products that do not cause allergies. These include anticoagulants (heparin). Next, society wants to develop organs compatible with the human body. In November 2020, United Therapeutics launched a phase I trial for GalDafe pigskin transplants for burn patients.
Nothing has been done yet, but officials also plan to market the meat of GalSafe pig. The FDA has certified this meat as safe to eat. On the other hand, there has been no evaluation of this same meat regarding the prevention of allergies. However, it will be necessary to be patient before seeing this meat arrive on the stalls.
A farm in Iowa is currently raising 25 GalSafe pigs . However, it seems that this animal cannot be produced on a large scale as is the case with the usual pigs. Moreover, the alphagal molecule is not the only cause of rejection concerning transplants. It will probably be necessary to make other genetic modifications before obtaining fully compatible organs between pigs and humans.
