Colossal Biosciences, the world's first de-extinction company, announced its acquisition of Viagen Pets and Equine, the global leader in animal cloning technology. The Texas-based acquisition represents Colossal's first strategic purchase since its founding in 2021 and significantly expands the company's capabilities in species preservation and restoration.
Proven Track Record in Animal Cloning
Viagen has established itself as the undisputed leader in animal cloning, having successfully cloned 15 species with remarkable efficiency. The company has achieved success rates approaching 80% in multiple species, far exceeding the published industry average of 2%. Among Viagen's notable achievements are several world-firsts, including the successful cloning of the black-footed ferret and Przewalski's horse, with a Grevy's zebra currently in gestation.
"No other company comes close to what Viagen has achieved," said Ben Lamm, Founder and CEO of Colossal. "Their unmatched expertise and cloning technology stack have become the world's standard and their application of these critical and proprietary technologies to endangered species conservation makes them an invaluable partner in advancing our global de-extinction and species preservation mission."
Advanced Cryopreservation Capabilities
Beyond cloning, Viagen has pioneered advanced cryopreservation techniques that preserve biological samples by freezing materials at extremely low temperatures to halt metabolic activity and degradation. The company has cultured and biobanked more than 40 unique species, including 22 threatened or endangered species such as the White rhino, Black rhino, Florida bonneted bat, Perdido beach mouse, and Indiana bat.
In a historic achievement, Viagen successfully cloned two critically endangered Przewalski's horses (one in 2020, another in 2023) from tissue that had been cryopreserved at the San Diego Zoo in 1980, demonstrating the long-term viability of their preservation methods.
Strategic Technology Integration
The acquisition brings together complementary technologies, with Colossal's CRISPR-based de-extinction platform combining with Viagen's proven cloning and preservation capabilities. "While we use slightly different processes and technologies for our cloning work, Viagen was the only company in the world that had better cloning efficiencies than us," Lamm explained.
Dr. Shawn Walker, Chief Science Officer of Viagen and a leading cloning expert for over twenty years, emphasized the strategic value of the partnership: "Partnering with Colossal Biosciences presents an extraordinary opportunity to apply our advanced cryopreservation and cloning techniques to the ambitious goals of de-extinction and species restoration."
Expanding Beyond Conservation
Viagen's expertise extends beyond endangered species work. In 2022, the company expanded into advanced reproductive technologies for horses, introducing Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) services to the equine market. This specialized technique allows breeders to select the sex of foals by injecting a single sperm directly into an egg.
Operational Structure and Future Plans
Viagen will continue operating as a wholly owned subsidiary under the leadership of President Blake Russell, who brings 25 years of experience in the animal genetics business. The company's 25 employees will maintain their Texas headquarters while integrating with Colossal's broader technology platform and species preservation pipeline.
"Joining forces with Colossal — the only de-extinction company and leader in biotechnology — gives Viagen the scale, resources, and shared vision to expand what we can do," said Russell. "Together, we can accelerate breakthroughs in genetic preservation, animal health, and endangered species recovery through biobanking and cloning at a scale that simply wasn't possible on our own."
Lamm indicated plans to democratize the technology by reducing costs and improving accessibility, though he declined to disclose the acquisition price. The combined entity aims to expand endangered species cloning to additional threatened species and countries worldwide while maintaining Viagen's existing pet and equine cloning services.
