On Tuesday, former NFL star Tom Brady revealed that his dog, Junie, is a clone of Lua, the dog he and his ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen, shared before Lua’s death in late 2023.
The details were shared in a news release issued by Colossal Biosciences, announcing its acquisition of Texas-based biotechnology company Viagen Pets and Equine. Brady, an investor in Colossal, explained his personal experience with the cloning process.
“I love my animals. They mean the world to me and my family,” Brady said. “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. In a few short months, Colossal gave my family a second chance with a clone of our beloved dog.”
ABC News reports that Colossal, known for ambitious de-extinction projects including the dire wolf, woolly mammoth, and dodo, is now combining efforts with Viagen.
“I am excited how Colossal and Viagen’s tech together can help both families losing their beloved pets while helping to save endangered species,” Brady added.
Viagen has a history of animal cloning, including Barbra Streisand’s dog Samantha and Paris Hilton’s dog Diamond, and holds rights to the technology that cloned Dolly the sheep.
Dr. Shawn Walker, Viagen’s Chief Science Officer, said the partnership with Colossal “presents an extraordinary opportunity to apply our advanced cryopreservation and cloning techniques to the ambitious goals of de-extinction and species restoration.”
