Kindred Companion Sciences, a biotech firm, has successfully gene-edited beagles, creating a new commodity for the pet market. Scientists at the company announced today the production of Bailey, a hypoallergenic beagle, marking what they describe as the first successful application of gene-editing in dogs.
Matt Walker, a geneticist at Kindred Companion Sciences, expressed a mix of "relief and awe and gratitude that it worked," after the CRISPR technique yielded the desired outcome. The company created Bailey and her twin, Alfie, using CRISPR, a gene-editing technique recognized with a Nobel Prize. Walker, who previously suffered from dog allergies, now reports being able to interact with Bailey without sneezing, feeding her peanut butter and playing fetch. Bailey's saliva and hair no longer contain a key allergy-causing protein, though Walker's personal allergies remain.
Kindred Companion Sciences intends to test the technique on other dogs and service animals, aiming to breed an allergy-free line of pups beyond beagles. This signals a clear intent to expand the market for these engineered animals. The research, published today in the CRISPR Journal, details how scientists edited the genetic code in dog skin cells to switch off the main gene responsible for allergy-causing proteins. This edited genetic code was then transferred into eggs, which a beagle surrogate carried to term, giving birth to two healthy female pups in September 2024, about 2 years ago. Tests on the pups' saliva and fur confirmed the absence of the allergy-causing protein. An allergy test on Walker showed no reaction to extracts from Alfie and Bailey's saliva and dander, unlike samples from a poodle and goldendoodle. Bailey now lives with Walker in New York, while Alfie resides in Florida with another Kindred scientist. Walker has had Bailey for a little over one year. Previous attempts to create hypoallergenic pets, primarily through cloning, often resulted in sicker pups due to excessive genetic similarity. About 2 years ago, researchers used CRISPR to reduce allergy-causing protein levels in a cat named Alsik, but the safety of that technique for broader application remains unclear.
Creating a New Market
Bioethicist Arthur Caplan of New York University's Grossman School of Medicine acknowledged that this development "opens the door to a lot more people being able to own pets." However, Caplan also warned of a negative consequence: it "may discourage people from trying to use strays and unwanted animals that are not engineered to be allergy-free." This highlights the potential for market-driven solutions to exacerbate existing social problems, such as animal homelessness.
Dr. Jeff SoRelle, a pathologist at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, who was not involved in the study, emphasized the need for future research to test these gene-edited dogs on a wider range of people with pet allergies. SoRelle stated, "we don’t exactly know just how effective or broadly useful this could be for stopping dog allergy in humans," questioning the universal applicability of this high-tech solution.
Market's Contradictions
Walker maintains that the gene edit is rare but occurs naturally in some dogs, suggesting it's "unlikely to have any negative effects on the pups." He stressed the importance of monitoring the dogs through routine vet visits to ensure their continued health. Despite being a lifelong dog lover, Walker's allergies prevented him from owning dogs, even supposedly hypoallergenic breeds like his family's goldendoodle, which caused him itchy eyes and rashes. Now, he can play tug-of-war with Bailey and she snuggles at his feet, providing comfort when he's sick. Walker concluded, "It feels just amazing to get to have a dog," framing the scientific achievement as a personal triumph over a physical limitation, while the broader market implications remain.