A new startup wants to edit human embryos

In 2018, Chinese Scientist He Jiankui shocked the world when he revealed that he had created the first genetically modified babies. Using CRISPR, he modified the genes of three human embryos in an attempt to make them immune to HIV and used the embryos to initiate pregnancy.

The backlash against him was immediate. The scientists said the technology was too new to be used for human reproduction, and the DNA modification resulted in genetic enhancement. The Chinese government accused him of “illegal medical practices” and he was sentenced to three years in prison.

Now, a New York-based startup called Manhattan Genomics is reviving the debate about gene-edited babies. Its stated goal is to end genetic diseases and reduce human suffering by eliminating harmful mutations in the embryonic stage. The company has announced a group of “scientific contributors” that includes a leading in vitro fertilization physician, a data scientist who worked for extinction company Colossal Biosciences, and two reproductive biologists from a major mammalian research center. A scientist who pioneered a technique to create embryos using DNA from three people was also involved.

“I like to take on challenges when I see them,” says former Thiel co-founder Kathy T., who dropped out of college at 18 to start her first company, Ranomics, a genomic screening service. As Tie sees it, that challenge is to make the idea of ​​human embryo editing more acceptable to society.

The idea of ​​editing human embryos is tempting, because any changes made to reproductive cells are heritable. Cut out a disease-causing mutation in the embryo and it will be removed from future generations. But gene editing technology also has the potential to cause unwanted “off-target” effects. For example, edit the wrong gene incorrectly and it can lead to cancer. These mistakes will be passed on to future children.

While newer forms of gene editing are more precise, there are still ethical issues to contend with. The prospect of being able to manipulate the DNA of human embryos has sparked fears of a new kind of eugenics, where parents with the tools to do so can create “designer babies” with the traits they choose.

The goal of Manhattan Genomics — originally called the Manhattan Project when the company first launched in August — is to correct disease, not cure it, says Tie. Unlike the original Manhattan Project, a secret US government program during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons, Ty says his investment will operate openly and transparently. “We’re revolutionizing medicine, and the technology is definitely very powerful,” he says. “I think that’s the commonality here with manipulating the nucleus of an atom and manipulating the nucleus of a cell.”