Also known as the Mother, Founder, Clay and Primogenitor virus across various reports, the Progenitor virus was the foundation retrovirus on which all of Umbrella's molecular engineering research was built upon. The unique quality of the virus to dramatically modify a host cell without also killing the host lead to many discoveries inlcuding the T-virus and T-Veronica virus.
History
The Progenitor virus was discovered in the 1960's, and was officially "established" and named on December 4th 1966 by Ozwell E. Spencer, Sir Edward Ashford, and Dr. James Marcus. Details on how the virus was discovered were previously not available although it was theorized that Progentior must have previously existed in an isolated system since its zoonotic attributes would have otherwise allowed it to become a trans-species pandemic. It is now confirmed to have been discovered in Africa, in an isolated underground cave system.
The virus's origins lay in a plant named Sonnentreppe (literally, "Stairway to the Sun") found in a region of West Africa. What led to it's discovery was a multi-volume series of books penned by Henry Travis, who happened to detail within his writings the Ndipaya tribe and their unique selection process for their kings; through the ingestion of the Sonnentreppe. Legend has it that a few individuals would be immune to the virus contained within the plant (later to be known as Progenitor) and would gain several enhancements following ingestion. Without natural immunity, the virus would lead to quick death due to its toxic nature. Spencer, who took an interest in the series for the folklore contained within it, was immediately intrigued and hypothesised that the plant held significance. An excavation was held, with Spencer being joined by his good friend James Marcus and fellow nobleman, Edward Ashford. Joining them was one of Marcus' students, Brandon Bailey, who was head researcher of the research team the three had brought along to the site. The plant's habitat was an underground garden known as the "Sun Garden".
Soon after the initial discovery the three scientists began researching the virus, but progress slowed as their laboratory necessities began to supersede their resources. In order to covertly grant their growing budgetary needs and hire additional researchers to aid in the progress, Lord Spencer suggested forming a pharmaceutical company as a front to their operations. In response, the Arklay Research Facility and Umbrella Management Training Facility were used as a means to research the virus. Meanwhile, Ashford left the research team with a sample of the virus to conduct his own studies along with his son Alexander Ashford. Deeming the excavation a resounding success, Spencer, Marcus and Bailey returned to the United States with samples of the virus, as well as the Sonnentreppe flower.
During the early months of 1967, difficulties arose with cultivating the Progenitor virus outside of it's natural environment. While the Sonnentreppe plants would grow exceptionally well, the virus would not be present.
The Arklay Research Facility became fully operational in 1967; however, Progenitor research was still being conducted feverishly by Spencer, Ashford, and Marcus despite a lack of proper facilities. Later that year on November 10th, Spencer secretly conducted the first human experiments with the Progenitor virus on the abducted Jessica and Lisa Trevor. Jessica was administered the "Type-A" strain while Lisa was injected with the "Type-B" strain and then moved to the underground Arklay laboratory for observation. Five days later, on November 15th, Jessica Trevor died from the viral infection while her daughter slowly degenerated physically and mentally. Lisa's persistent state between life and death became a breakthrough in Arklay's viral research and she was kept for many decades to come as both a premiere test subject and perpetual enigma. Spencer safely guarded her existence from anyone who was not directly working inside the Arkaly Research Facility, including his peers James Marcus and Edward Ashford. The architect of the Arklay facility himself, George Trevor, was also originally meant to become a test subject for Progenitor, but he was disposed of by Spencer instead.
In March 1968, "Umbrella" was founded and the Progenitor research's focus became primarily military, most likely due to investments on the U.S. government's behalf. Meanwhile, James Marcus and Brandon Bailey returned to Africa in order to retrieve more samples of the Progenitor virus due to the inability to cultivate the virus elsewhere. The life of Edward Ashford was taken by a Progenitor infection when an experiment went out of control in July 1968-- no deformations were recorded. In August, the Umbrella Management Training Facility finished construction, and Marcus was subsequently transferred there as the first general manager by Spencer, leaving Bailey alone in Africa.
Unfazed by his colleague's death, Dr. Marcus conducted research on the virus at the Training Facility.
In 1969, the Umbrella Africa Research Facility finished construction, allowing samples of Progenitor to be produced and studied en massé and shipped throughout the globe to Umbrella's newly opened facilities. Brandon Bailey became the director and Chief Researcher of this new facility.
On September 19th 1977, Marcus finally made his breakthrough and created a radical new mutant strain of the Progenitor virus that he called the "Tyrant", or "T"-virus, by directionally evolving attributes of the leech genome into the Progenitor's own. The T-virus could induce radical mutations upon animals, finally giving Umbrella a weaponised variant of Progenitor and allowing them to produce B.O.W.s at last. The discovery was kept a secret fearing that his peers, especially Spencer, would extort his research for profit. Despite the secrecy, the T-virus was stolen by Albert Wesker and William Birkin under orders from Spencer sometime after its discovery.
Research and development into the Progenitor virus remained strong up to the day Umbrella was officially absolved, remaining the foundation for all new bioweapon research projects that ran simultaneous to the T-virus.
Further Research
Wesker Virus
Uroboros Virus
P30
With the abolishment of Umbrella, Progenitor research was taken up by Tricell, producing new results. One such result was the ancillary chemical "P30", which would temporarily give a subject superhuman abilities and make them highly susceptible to control. A recorded usage of this chemical was on Jill Valentine, who had a device implanted in her chest to ensure continuous administration of the chemical. The reason for this is that the chemical would quickly be metabolized and expelled from within the subject's system following injection, and would need continuous top-ups to ensure proper operation. It was sold by Tricell commercially and developed alongside the Type 2, 3 and 4 Plagas in order to garner additional funding for the Uroboros virus.
PG67A/W
Developed presumably by Tricell for use by Albert Wesker, "PG67A/W", or "Progenitor No.67 Albert/Wesker", was a serum developed to correct the erratic nature produced in the later stages of Wesker's infection with the experimental "Wesker Virus" administered to him by Ozwell E. Spencer. When administered in precise amounts it would correct the mutative nature of the virus, too much however was detrimental to Wesker's condition, and considered highly poisonous.