Genetic Counselor Reflects on 23andMe’s Rise and Fall
As a board-certified genetic counselor, I had high hopes for 23andMe when I joined the company last year. Initially valued at “nearly $0” by the Wall Street Journal just one week into my tenure, I believed in the company’s mission to provide consumers with access to their genetic information.
However, despite my faith in the company’s vision, 23andMe filed for bankruptcy, leaving its future uncertain. In May, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals was approved as the lead bidder to acquire substantially all of 23andMe’s assets, including a vast database of de-identified genetic and survey data from approximately 12 million customers.
A secondary bidder, TTAM Research Institute, led by former CEO Anne Wojcicki, remains on standby until the deal closes later this year. The fate of this valuable data remains uncertain until then, raising questions about the future of consumer genomics.
Source: https://www.statnews.com/2025/06/02/23andme-regeneron-sale-consumer-genetics-industry-hipaa