Colossal Biosciences Creates a Woolly Mouse

Biotech startup Colossal Biosciences has taken the first major step in its ambition to resurrect the extinct woolly mammoth by 2028 — it created a “woolly mouse.”

The Big Bet: You may not be surprised to learn that recreating extinct species — especially something as large and distinct as a woolly mammoth — is pretty difficult. However, Colossal’s success in developing a (very adorable) mouse that shares traits with the mammoth shows the science is on track.

Between the DNA: To go big, Colossal started small.

• Using CRISPR technology to edit mice embryos, the company genetically engineered a mouse with mammoth genes and implanted the embryos into a regular mouse mother.
• The baby mice were born with the same color, texture, and thickness as the fur of a woolly mammoth.
• The company is now seeking approval from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee to test whether the fur could help mice survive colder climates, similar to the mammoth.
• If Colossal can test the mice’s adaptability, it’ll provide necessary data on how future mammoths will handle those environments (it appears the company is looking to release them into the wild).

The Future: Colossal has been on a tear since launching in 2021. It raised a $200 million round in January at a $10.2 billion valuation. Going from founding to creating a woolly mammoth in just seven years is lightning fast. But co-founder and CEO Ben Lamm told TechCrunch that developing the woolly mouse is a “watershed moment” for the company — one that could earn public credibility and keep investors from sweating.