Related video: Scientists Claim Dire Wolf Brought Back From Extinction, But Others Disagree
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Former Bucs Quarterback Tom Brady revealed his current dog is actually a marvel of science Tuesday.
According to ESPN, Brady revealed that his pit bull mix Junie is actually a clone of his previous dog, Lua.
The clone was created by “de-extinction” company Colossal Biosciences. Brady is an investor in the company, according to reports.
“I love my animals,” Brady said in a statement. “They mean the world to me and my family. A few years ago, I worked with Colossal and leveraged their non-invasive cloning technology through a simple blood draw of our family’s elderly dog before she passed.”
The news came on the same day Colossal Biosciences announced it had acquired Viagen Pets and Equine, a leader in the field of animal cloning that began as a livestock and genetic preservation company.
Viagen has successfully cloned 15 species including the black-footed gerret and Przewalski’s horse. It has also collected gene cultures of 22 threatened or endangered species, such as the Florida bonneted bat and the White rhino.
“Colossal is thrilled to welcome Viagen, the world’s leading cloning company, into our portfolio,” said Ben Lamm, Founder and CEO of Colossal. “No other company comes close to what Viagen has achieved. 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.”
Colossal said it has also accomplished its own feats in the field of genetic editing and cloning to bring back the dire wolf, which was extinct. However, some groups dispute the claim.
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