Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology company founded in 2021 by entrepreneur Ben Lamm and Harvard geneticist George Church, secured a $200 million investment, bringing its total funding to $435 million and boosting its valuation to $10.2 billion. The recent funding from TWG Global reflects investor confidence in the company's ambitious plans to utilize genetic technology for the de-extinction of the woolly mammoth and other species, according to Forbes.
The company is billed as the world's first and only de-extinction enterprise, aiming to resurrect creatures known only from fossils and museum exhibits within the next decade. Colossal Biosciences plans to bring back extinct species such as the woolly mammoth, the dodo, and the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) by leveraging advanced gene-editing techniques. "We are excited to expand our efforts on new species and even more technology development," Lamm said, noting that the new funding will help the company advance its goals, as reported by Forbes.
Colossal Biosciences is in the cell-editing phase of the woolly mammoth project. Scientists are editing mammoth genes obtained from ancient DNA samples found in frozen tundra and inserting these modified genes into Asian elephant cells to create hybrid embryos. These embryos are expected to develop into woolly mammoth calves that could be born as early as 2028, according to Robb Report. The calves will be born to surrogate elephant mothers and closely monitored in a bio-secure preserve.
The company's approach has garnered support from high-profile investors and celebrities, including Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, Tony Robbins, Paris Hilton, and the Hemsworth brothers. Their backing amplifies Colossal Biosciences' visibility and influence.
"Colossal has assembled a world-class team that has already driven, in a short period of time, significant technology innovations and impact in advancing conservation," said Mark Walter, CEO of TWG Global and co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chelsea Football Club, according to Forbes.
While the prospect of de-extinction has generated excitement, it has also raised ethical and ecological concerns among scientists and experts. Critics question whether genetically engineered mammoths could adapt to modern habitats, given the challenges of climate change, habitat reduction, and the presence of invasive species. "It's better to prevent extinctions in the first place, rather than bring back bio-replicas whose 'reintroduction' may have a host of unintended consequences," said Karl Flessa, a paleontologist at the University of Arizona.
Beth Shapiro, Colossal Biosciences' Chief Scientist, acknowledges the limitations of de-extinction efforts. "To be clear, it's not possible to get something that's 100% identical in behavior, physiologically, genetically to a mammoth," she said, emphasizing that their goal is to create animals that are functionally and ecologically similar to their extinct counterparts, as reported by Science.
Despite skepticism, Colossal Biosciences maintains that bringing back extinct species can contribute to biodiversity restoration and ecosystem balance. The company plans to closely monitor the animals in bio-secure preserves before considering reintroduction into the wild. The ultimate goal is to return the restored species to their natural habitats, thereby contributing to ecosystem balance, as reported by RPP Noticias.
In addition to its de-extinction projects, the company is making advances in related areas, including technologies for the preservation of endangered species. Their work on the woolly mammoth project has led to developments that aid in the conservation of endangered elephant species, such as vaccines against elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus, a disease that kills Asian elephant calves.
Colossal Biosciences collaborates with laboratories across Boston, Dallas, and Melbourne and partners with 17 universities worldwide on its projects. These collaborations are instrumental in advancing their de-extinction initiatives and developing tools that could benefit conservation efforts for endangered species.
Lamm expressed enthusiasm about the company's rapid progress and future plans. "This funding will grow our team, support new technology development, expand our de-extinction species list, while continuing to allow us to carry forth our mission to make extinction a thing of the past," he stated, as reported by Forbes.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq