Funding anthropomorphic pig organs

Porcine xenotransplantation is attracting major dollars. Yesterday Cambridge-based eGenesis — another MIT spinout from George Church — announced it had raised $100 million in Series B funding, led by the venture arm of dialysis giant Fresenius Medical Care.

eGenesis is using CRISPR gene editing to allow pig-grown organs to be transplanted into humans. The funding, in particular, will help bring the company’s kidney xenotransplantation program into the clinic — as well as hasten development of pancreatic islet cells, livers, hearts, and lungs grown in other animals.