United Therapeutics: programs, progress and news

Analyst view

United Therapeutics acquired xenotransplant pioneer Revivicor in 2011.
December 2024: First UKidney transplant performed under FDA compassionate-use authorization.
Three programs: UKidney and UHeart (10 edits each), UThymoKidney (single-gene); trials planned 2025–2026.

As reported

Three organ strategies

UKidney and UHeart use 10-gene edits; UThymoKidney uses a single edit per organ.

10-gene design

Six human immune-regulation genes inserted; four pig genes knocked out for rejection and growth control.

SPF breeding

Christiansburg, Virginia facility breeds and houses SPF pigs; ~125 organs/year capacity.

Programs

United Therapeutics, three programs

Updated 1 Feb 2025

Research · Proto · Pilot · Deploy · Scaling

3 items

Nov 2024
demoWorld's first UKidney xenotransplant under FDA expanded access (opens businesswire.com)UKidney
First demonstration of a 10-gene-edit pig kidney in a living recipient, opening clinical trial pathway.
Apr 2024
demoFirst successful UThymoKidney transplant (combined single-gene kidney and thymus) (opens businesswire.com)UThymoKidney
Exploration of dual-organ xenotransplant to combine renal replacement with immune reconstitution.
2022
demoFirst pig-to-human heart xenotransplant performed (opens businesswire.com)
Landmark demonstration of cardiac xenotransplant feasibility, advancing understanding of immune control in life-critical organs.

Open · Active · Partial

Immune rejection over months to yearsActive research
First UKidney showed early function; longer-term durability and optimal immunosuppression are being characterized.
Managing three concurrent programsOpen
UKidney, UHeart, and UThymoKidney have different designs and target patients; coordinated strategy needed.
Scaling production and qualityActive research
125-organ/year SPF facility supports clinical trials; commercial scale requires additional capacity.

Company-wide

Cell & organ therapies · 8

1 round · as reported

Date	Round	Amount	Post-money	Lead
1996	Founded	—	—	—

3 partners

Partner
NYU Langone Health (opens nyulangone.org)
Site of the first UKidney xenotransplant surgery, performed by Dr. Robert Montgomery.
Partner
FDA (opens fda.gov)
Granted expanded access (compassionate use) for the first UKidney transplant in 2024; IND cleared for UKidney clinical trial in February 2025.
Partner
Revivicor, Inc. (opens revivicor.com)
Subsidiary of United Therapeutics focusing on xenotransplantation research, development, and manufacturing.

Key people

Martine Rothblatt (opens en.wikipedia.org)Founder, Chairperson, and Chief Executive Officer