The first person to receive a heart transplant from a genetically modified pig died two months after the historic surgery.

The news from the University of Maryland where David Bennett Sr, 57, had been operated on in January .

"His condition began to deteriorate several days ago. After it became clear he would not recover, he was given palliative care. He was able to speak to his family in his last hours of life," the statement read. .

The operation lasted eight hours, and was attempted due to a heart disease that put the 57-year-old in serious danger.

In recent years, scientists have worked hard to develop pigs whose organs are not rejected by the human body. Research has accelerated over the past decade thanks to new genetic editing and cloning technologies.

(Unioneonline / vl)

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