The Argentine biotech company Kheiron S.A. has achieved the birth of the world’s first genetically edited horses using the groundbreaking CRISPR-Cas9 technique. This scientific advancement positions Argentina as a global leader in equine biotechnology.
Kheiron S.A., a company entirely formed by Argentine scientists, entrepreneurs, and investors, had already achieved globally recognised milestones in its specialty—cloning high-performance horses. These achievements, which include the use of stem cells for cloning and the creation of the world’s first genetically edited embryos, have been published in journals from the prestigious Nature Publishing Group.
This time, the Argentine biotech firm has achieved the first-ever birth of five genetically edited horses. To accomplish this, they used the CRISPR-Cas9 technique, transferring a small portion of a gene from one mare into another. Breeders Doña Sofia Polo and Alberto Pedro Heguy chose to edit the genes of the award-winning mare Polo Pureza, named Best Mare at the 1998 Argentine Open in Palermo and a member of the “Hall of Fame” of the Argentine Association of Polo Horse Breeders (AACCP). Heguy, a renowned polo player, veterinarian, and founder of the AACCP, with 17 Argentine Open Polo Championship titles, and Doña Sofía, encouraged Kheiron Biotech in achieving this significant milestone.
Alberto Pedro Heguy commented: “The expectation is that, through this great first step in innovation, Polo Pureza will gain sprinter or explosive characteristics that she did not have while preserving her other qualities.”
Dr Gabriel Vichera, co-founder and Scientific Director of Kheiron, added: “This important scientific development was carried out with extreme rigour, complying with the strict requirements of the National Directorate of Bioeconomy and CONABIA (Argentina’s national biotechnology regulatory authority), ensuring it is not classified as a conventional genetically modified crops (GMOs). As a result, it is considered a specimen that could exist freely in nature and has been approved as such. This was precisely the objective, to comply with the regulations of the AACCP and the Argentine Rural Society (SRA) so that the specimen is not regarded as genetically doped. It is worth noting that Argentina is a global leader in developing regulations in this field.”
“This achievement places Argentina at the forefront of what could, in the future, be considered an innovative and challenging path towards precise genetic advancement. It aims to accelerate genetic improvements currently pursued through trial-and-error mechanisms,” added Daniel Sammartino, Founder & CEO of Proinvesa Group and President of Kheiron.
This innovative technique may also be used to improve health and correct genetic diseases. The vision and perseverance of this Argentine group reaffirm Kheiron Biotech’s commitment to scientific innovation and its position as a global leader at the cutting edge of equine technology.