Suffering from hyperpituitarism, Preston Payne sought to cure his condition. Creating an enzyme made from the DNA of the then-living Matt Hagen, Payne hoped to cure his condition. Instead, his appearance became permanently clay-like without the ability to reshape himself, and he was afflicted with unyielding pain. The only way Preston is briefly able to remove his sickness is by passing it on to other people through a "Midas Melt" touch that turns human flesh to protoplasm.