Orchid Pioneers Embryo Screening with Polygenic Risk Scores, Ushering in Silicon Valley Superbaby Era

Jul 19, 2024, 06:14 PM

Orchid, a startup founded by Noor Siddiqui, is pioneering the use of polygenic risk scores to screen IVF embryos for future health risks. The company promises to sequence over 99% of an embryo's DNA from just five cells, a significant advancement compared to previous methods that sequenced less than 1%. This technology aims to provide prospective parents with greater insights into the health of their future children. High-profile backers of Orchid include crypto evangelists Brian Armstrong, Vitalik Buterin, Balaji Srinivasan, and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, who has already used the service for his child. The concept of genetically screening embryos has gained traction in Silicon Valley, with some suggesting it could become mainstream, leading to the dawn of the Silicon Valley superbaby.