Researchers edit beagle embryos to remove a major dog allergen

Dogs are often called humans’ best friend, but for people with dog allergies, living with a canine companion can be difficult or even impossible. Now, researchers have taken a step toward creating dogs that may be easier for some allergy sufferers to live with. According to online reports, scientists at Kindred Companion Sciences have used CRISPR, the Nobel Prize-winning gene-editing technology, to remove a gene responsible for producing Can f 1, one of the major proteins associated with dog allergies. The work, published August 5 in the CRISPR Journal, resulted in two female beagles, Alfie and Bailey, born in September 2024. The dogs look like ordinary beagles, but testing suggests they lack detectable levels of the targeted allergen. The project has a personal connection for Kindred co-founder and CEO Matt Walker, a geneticist who has lived with dog allergies throughout his life.