The Guardian reported Saturday that Craig Venter said he is set to annouunce the creation of a synthetic chromosome — the first ever artificial life form — within weeks, possibly as early as Monday.

But Venter spokeswoman Heather Kowalski declined to confirm any breakthrough: “We have not achieved what some have speculated we have in synthetic life. When we do so there will be a scientific publication and we are likely months away from that.”

In the final step of the process, the Mycoplasma laboratorium chromosome will be transplanted into a living cell where it should “take control,” effectively becoming a new life form. The new bacterium will be largely artificial, though not entirely, because it is composed of building blocks from already existing organisms.

Pat Mooney, director of the Canadian bioethics organization ETC Group, said Venter was creating “a chassis on which you could build almost anything. It could be a contribution to humanity such as new drugs or a huge threat to humanity such as bio-weapons.”