The controversial embryo-editing startup Manhattan Genomics appears to have collapsed less than six months after its launch due to co-founder conflict.
Manhattan Genomics was launched last year by Thiel fellow Cathy Tie and Eriona Hysolli, a former lead scientist at Colossal Biosciences, the $10 billion startup best known for its efforts to de-extinct the woolly mammoth. They announced a roster of scientists and ethicists to guide what they call a “new era of genomic medicine.”
“After careful consideration, Manhattan Genomics has made the difficult decision to cease operations,” the startup posted on X. “We are deeply grateful to our partners, collaborators, and supporters who believed in our mission and contributed to our work. It has been a privilege to be part of the scientific and innovation community, and we are proud of the efforts made to advance important ideas and research during our time in operation.”
Tie was briefly married to Dr. Jiankui He, the Chinese scientist once imprisoned for creating the world’s first gene-edited babies. He has grown to embrace the nickname the media once used to condemn him, China’s Frankenstein, while Tie calls herself Biotech Barbie.
On X, Tie said she shut the company down “because of co-founder conflict.” She said the decision came after “many interviews and hit pieces.” She paired the announcement with a photo of herself at an undisclosed lab, hinting at a new project.
Manhattan Genomics was one of many startups focused on genetically engineered babies. Like the early cannabis industry, they’re operating in a space where the science and public sentiment are evolving faster than the law. Current US law makes what the team wants to do, edit human embryos and bring them to term, not legally possible.
Federal spending bills renewed since 2015 include a clause that prohibits the FDA from reviewing or approving any clinical application involving heritable genome editing. Scientists are limited to performing basic research on cells or animal embryos using private funds. Implanting them to create a new pregnancy would require Congress to change federal law or remove the funding restriction.
Proponents of the technology say it could eliminate devastating diseases like cystic fibrosis and Tay-Sachs at the source before a child is even born. They view it as a natural extension of existing IVF and genetic screening technologies. Critics fear a slippery slope toward eugenics. They warn that editing embryos crosses a major ethical line because the changes are permanent and passed down through generations. They argue it increases the risks of unintended mutations and long-term harm that scientists don’t yet understand.
Update: Tie has announced the launch of Origin Genomics, which is also based in New York and operates exclusively in the United States. According to a press release, the startup intends to offer Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy (MRT) for patients affected by mitochondrial DNA-related diseases like Leigh syndrome, MELAS syndrome, and MERFF that affect the body’s ability to produce energy. MRT is already permitted in countries like the UK and Australia, and emerging state-level regulatory initiatives in the US suggest a pathway for controlled clinical use.