Tech Billionaires Fund Controversial Gene-Editing Startup

A Silicon Valley startup known as Preventive is advancing research into gene editing, despite significant legal and ethical concerns surrounding the practice. Backed by high-profile investors including Sam Altman of OpenAI and Brian Armstrong from Coinbase, Preventive aims to eliminate hereditary diseases by editing human embryos prior to birth. Such actions are currently illegal under U.S. law and are prohibited in many other countries, raising questions about the implications of their work.

Founded earlier in 2023 by gene-editing expert Lucas Harrington, Preventive has secured $30 million in funding and is based in San Francisco. The company asserts that its mission is to ensure the safety and transparency of embryo editing technology before any applications for creating genetically modified babies are pursued. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Harrington emphasized that the company is focused on preclinical research and is not currently preparing to implant edited embryos.

Investor sentiments reflect a range of views on the ethical dimensions of gene editing. Oliver Mulherin, Altman’s husband, stated that their investment aims to help families avoid genetic illness. Armstrong has expressed enthusiasm for the venture, arguing that correcting genetic defects at the embryo stage is preferable to treating diseases later in life.

The U.S. federal law restricts the Food and Drug Administration from considering applications for trials involving genetically edited embryos that would lead to pregnancies. Despite this, Harrington confirmed that Preventive has explored opportunities in jurisdictions like the United Arab Emirates, where such practices might not face the same legal barriers. He clarified that any consideration of work outside the U.S. is purely due to the regulatory landscape and not an attempt to bypass oversight.

Preventive operates as a public-benefit corporation, allowing it to prioritize social good alongside profit. Its charter emphasizes the responsible advancement of genome editing technologies intended to benefit humanity. This approach parallels the controversial work of He Jiankui, who faced legal repercussions for creating the first gene-edited babies in 2018. Jiankui’s actions raised significant ethical questions, and the long-term effects on those children remain uncertain.

As funding for reproductive genetics surges in Silicon Valley, Preventive is not alone in its ambitions. Other companies, such as Manhattan Genomics and Bootstrap Bio, are also investigating embryo editing techniques. Each faces scrutiny from bioethicists and regulators regarding their research agendas, particularly concerning the potential for commercial embryo editing to drift into eugenics.

Critics of these initiatives caution that they may inadvertently encourage a market for “designer babies.” Fyodor Urnov, a director at the Innovative Genomics Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, voiced strong disapproval, stating, “They are either lying, delusional, or both,” referring to the motivations behind such ventures. Supporters, in contrast, argue that the objectives are strictly medical, focusing on serious disorders like cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease. These conditions can prevent parents who are carriers of the same genetic mutation from conceiving healthy children via traditional in vitro fertilization.

Preventive’s efforts are poised to continue stirring debate as they navigate the complex intersection of technology, ethics, and law. The company has committed to transparency, promising to publish its findings, regardless of their nature. As the landscape of reproductive genetics evolves, the ramifications of their work will likely influence public discourse on the future of gene editing.