Dallas, TX — Individuals who develop an allergy to red meat after a lone star tick bite can now safely consume pork from an unexpected source: genetically modified pigs originally developed for organ transplant research.
Revivicor Inc., the company behind these special pigs, is providing a limited supply at no cost to allergy patients. The primary focus of Revivicor is addressing the critical shortage of human organs for transplantation by offering genetically modified pig organs.
David Ayares, Chief Scientist Officer at Revivicor Inc., highlighted the high demand for their products, stating, “We receive hundreds and hundreds of orders,” as he displayed a variety of pork products including ground pork patties, ham, ribs, and pork chops stored in a freezer.
The allergy, known as Alpha-gal syndrome, is named after a sugar present in nearly all mammal tissues except humans and some primates. Consuming beef, pork, or other red meats, as well as certain mammalian products like milk or gelatin, can trigger severe reactions hours later.
One of the major hurdles in xenotransplantation, the process of transferring organs from animals to humans, involves the alpha-gal sugar triggering rejection by the human immune system. Revivicor’s initial genetic modification focused on deactivating the gene responsible for alpha-gal production.
Despite being experimental, Revivicor’s “GalSafe” pigs received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2020 for use as a food source and potentially for human therapeutics. The FDA confirmed no detectable levels of alpha-gal across multiple generations of these pigs, according to an AP report.
While Revivicor, a subsidiary of United Therapeutics, concentrates on xenotransplantation research, it has not found agricultural partners interested in selling GalSafe pork.
Revivicor maintains its GalSafe herd in Iowa and regulates its size through processing at a USDA-certified slaughterhouse. Frozen packages of pork are then shipped to alpha-gal syndrome patients who have applied for the product.
In Virginia, Revivicor operates a farm housing pigs with various genetic modifications for xenotransplantation research, including a GalSafe pig used in an experimental kidney transplant at NYU Langone Health.
The ethical question arises whether pigs utilized for transplantable organs can also be used for meat consumption. According to Dewey Steadman, spokesman for United Therapeutics, the answer is no. The rigorous anesthesia required to ensure pain-free organ removal disqualifies these pigs from meeting USDA standards for drug-free food.
For more information on the impact of genetically modified pigs on red meat allergies and organ transplant research, visit reputable sources or consult healthcare providers.
