Remus – Solana Meme Coin Peaks at $13.6 Million Thanks to ‘Resurrected Dire Wolf’
In a scenario that seems like it could only be found in sci-fi movies, the Remus meme token exploded on the Solana network, reaching a peak market capitalization of $13.61 million, after biotech company Colossal Biosciences announced that it had “resurrected” the dire wolf that had been extinct for more than 10,000 years.
From Scientific Research to Meme Coin Fever
On Monday, an article in The New Yorker revealed shocking information: Colossal Biosciences – a biotech company famous for its “de-extinction” ambitions – had successfully recreated the genes of the dire wolf using DNA editing techniques from fossilized bone samples.
The meme coin community immediately reacted like lightning. A token called New Ancient DNA Cloned Wolf (REMUS) was created on Solana’s Pump.fun platform. Despite not seeing significant activity in the first 5 hours, REMUS quickly exploded as news spread on social media, and retail investors and “degen traders” rushed to buy in.
The token accelerated to a market cap of $13.33 million in just 9 hours. However, true to the highly volatile nature of meme coins, the price then plunged 67.8% to around $4.3 million in just 7 hours. However, REMUS continued to surprise by bouncing back strongly to a peak of $13.61 million before stabilizing at around $6.2 million (according to DEX Screener).
One lucky trader turned $1,000 into $108,700 during this surge.
Romulus and Khaleesi also join the fray
Inspired by the story of “Romulus and Remus,” another token called Romulus was launched, followed by Khaleesi – the name of a famous princess in the Game of Thrones series. However, these two coins attracted less attention, reaching peak market capitalizations of $2.11 million and $786,000, respectively.
Science or media stunt?
Colossal claims to have genetically modified the gray wolf to replicate the characteristics of the dire wolf – including its large size, white fur, and powerful bite. Embryos created from gray wolf cells were placed in the wombs of “surrogates,” resulting in the birth of twins Remus and Romulus, followed by Khaleesi.
Although some scientists are skeptical of the definition of “resurrection” – arguing that it is simply a genetically modified gray wolf – Colossal stands by its claims. The company says the wolves are kept on a 2,000-acre property, are strictly protected, and are not allowed to breed due to their blood relationship.
Meme coin catches the "de-extinction" trend
Founded in 2021 by entrepreneur Ben Lamm and renowned geneticist George Church, Colossal Biosciences initially raised $15 million to revive the woolly mammoth. By January 2025, the company had raised more than $200 million in a Series C round from investors including TWG Global, Winklevoss Capital, and Animoca Brands.
In March, Colossal created a woolly mouse – the result of a mammoth clone – and the meme coin associated with the event had a market cap of $3.3 million.
Colossal is also targeting species like the dodo and the Tasmanian tiger in its future “de-extinction” campaign – a prospect that promises to bring more waves of meme coins to “catch the trend” and skyrocket in the crypto world.
Elon Musk and Joe Rogan join in
The dire wolf story quickly went viral as influential figures like Elon Musk and Joe Rogan tweeted about the news. The internet was flooded with images of giant dogs with cold eyes, gleaming fangs and a majestic appearance straight out of mythology.
Once again, meme coins have proven their ability to catch trends very quickly – whether it’s AI technology, color-changing geckos, or now… prehistoric dire wolves.