Colossal's lawsuit says former executive took research to rival ventures
Colossal says former executive took secrets to rival biotech ventures
A company trying to bring back the dodo, the woolly mammoth and Tom Brady's dog says it is also trying to get back its trade secrets.
In a lawsuit filed Friday in Austin, Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences said former Vice President of Animal Sciences James Kehler made off with the secrets of its genetic editing process and disclosed them to other companies since leaving Colossal.
The company has made headlines with breakthroughs in genetics and its work to reproduce versions of long-extinct animals. It made a splash in 2024 when it said it had successfully birthed dire wolves, which have been extinct for 13,000 years.
Kehler left Colossal in 2025 but stayed on as a consultant into this year. He then went to work at Neion Bio, a New York company that bioengineers medicines into eggs, dramatically cutting the cost of production, among other pursuits. Colossal also said Kehler was publicly connected to a company called Felix Pets that genetically engineers hypoallergenic cats.
Colossal has pursued engineering both cats and egg-based delivery programs and alleges that Kehler took their breakthroughs with him. It also said Felix Pets made "terrific progress" in the past eight months, progress that coincides with Kehler's departure.
"Forensic analysis of Kehler's Colossal laptop shows that prior to leaving he exfiltrated files containing Colossal confidential and trade secret information to a personal cloud account and multiple personal devices," Colossal said in its suit.
Neither company is being sued by Colossal and did not respond to requests for comment.
The company is alleging violations of the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act and Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 and breach of contract.
It alleges that Kehler signed multiple statements saying he would refrain from using company trade secrets throughout his three-year tenure. The same agreements mandate the case be adjudicated in Travis County, according to court filings.