Woolly mammoths set their foot on Earth until the Holocene epoch. However, Texas-based biotech startup Colossal Biosciences is hopeful to achieve what hasn’t been done before: to bring back the extinct animal in our period.
The $200 million fund-raising was a success; the valuation increased to $10.2 billion which is six times the amount valued two years ago. Besides, the company Colossal plans to bring back other extinct animals such as the thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, and dodo.
Colossal Biosciences to Stick With its Vision
Colossal Biosciences Raises $200M to Bring Back the Woolly Mammoth
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images
Ben Lamm, a businessman, and George Church, a Harvard geneticist, founded the company called Colossal Biosciences in 2021. It focuses on DNA and genomic methods to rehabilitate the structures of species and contribute to the balance of ecosystems. The company is said to be working on a woolly mammoth calf. According to Bloomberg, Lamm estimated that this may be born as early as 2028 using a surrogate Asian elephant mother.
The firm, using ancient DNA from frozen tundra samples, is editing mammoth genes into Asian elephant cells. The process is currently in the cell-editing phase, with the company standing by precision as its motto.
“We’re not going to do anything until we get the genomes right,” Lamm stated.
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Funding and High-Profile Backers
Colossal’s latest funding round, led by TWG Global, brings its total raised capital to $435 million. The company’s impressive list of supporters includes the CIA-affiliated In-Q-Tel, Paris Hilton, and other notable investors.
TWG Global CEO Mark Walter praised Colossal’s technological innovations and contributions to conservation, describing them as “significant advancements.”
Applications Beyond De-Extinction
Colossal’s pioneering work is not just about bringing back extinct species. In addition to the woolly mammoth, the company has developed technologies that help endangered species, including:
- Vaccines for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus, a lethal disease that kills Asian elephant calves.
- Avian genetic tools help in the conservation of threatened bird species such as the dodo.
Colossal has also spun off successful ventures, including:
- Breaking, which focuses on plastic waste degradation.
- Form Bio Inc., a computational software company, has raised $64 million to date.
- Future spin-offs may include genetic engineering technologies applicable to fertility clinics and beyond.
Scientific Skepticism and Ethical Concerns
While the excitement for this Jurassic feat is beyond the clouds, some scientists think it should not be done. Critics question whether a genetically engineered mammoth would truly replicate the extinct species and whether such animals could adapt to modern habitats.
Paleontologist Karl Flessa of the University of Arizona worried about the woolly mammoths being released into shrinking Arctic tundras. Colossal plans to keep the animals in bio-secure preserves, where they will be under close observation and control.
Colossal’s Another Plans
Colossal has bigger ambitions than just bringing back extinct species. The company’s nonprofit arm, Colossal Foundation, raised $50 million last year to focus on endangered animals like:
- The Sumatran rhino
- The ivory-billed woodpecker
- The vaquita, a critically endangered porpoise
For the years to come, we’re looking forward to a huge breakthrough in reviving extinct species. Who knows, this could be the start of a bigger mission towards de-extinction.
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