DNA data from 15,000,000 people goes on sale after popular testing site goes bankrupt
23andMe is auctioning off all of its data from consumers
https://www.uniladtech.com/science/news ... 5-20250401
23andMe is auctioning off all of its data from consumers
Re: 23andMe is auctioning off all of its data from consumers
Bankrupt genetic test company 23andMe may face opposition from the U.S. government if it tries to sell itself to a foreign buyer, according to a Tuesday court filing by national security agencies.
23andMe, which has genetic information for 15 million consumers, is trying to find a buyer for its business after filing for bankruptcy last month. The company has said it won’t go through with a sale that does not protect its customers’ genetic data, but the bankruptcy has drawn scrutiny from state attorneys general and lawmakers who warn that customer data could be sold to unscrupulous buyers.
The federal government echoed those concerns in a Tuesday court filing by the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an interagency body that vets foreign investments into U.S. companies for national security risks.
CFIUS said that it may need to review any sale that sends U.S. customers’ genetic data to an overseas buyer, and the transaction “may be prohibited or restricted” if it puts U.S. national security at risk.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/governmen ... 025-04-22/
23andMe, which has genetic information for 15 million consumers, is trying to find a buyer for its business after filing for bankruptcy last month. The company has said it won’t go through with a sale that does not protect its customers’ genetic data, but the bankruptcy has drawn scrutiny from state attorneys general and lawmakers who warn that customer data could be sold to unscrupulous buyers.
The federal government echoed those concerns in a Tuesday court filing by the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an interagency body that vets foreign investments into U.S. companies for national security risks.
CFIUS said that it may need to review any sale that sends U.S. customers’ genetic data to an overseas buyer, and the transaction “may be prohibited or restricted” if it puts U.S. national security at risk.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/governmen ... 025-04-22/
Re: 23andMe is auctioning off all of its data from consumers
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals on Monday announced it is buying 23andMe out of bankruptcy for $256 million – taking with it the company’s extensive trove of genetic samples and data.
It will acquire 23andMe’s Personal Genome Service, Total Health and Research Services and its large biobank, including genetic data of more than 15 million customers – raising privacy concerns from individuals who had willingly handed over the samples to completely different owners.
All of 23andMe’s genetic testing services will continue uninterrupted, and the deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025 pending bankruptcy court and regulatory approvals, Regeneron said.
The Tarrytown, New York-based pharmaceutical company pledged to remain compliant with 23andMe’s consumer-privacy rules and vowed to work with a court-appointed ombudsman who will investigate the matter.
It will acquire 23andMe’s Personal Genome Service, Total Health and Research Services and its large biobank, including genetic data of more than 15 million customers – raising privacy concerns from individuals who had willingly handed over the samples to completely different owners.
All of 23andMe’s genetic testing services will continue uninterrupted, and the deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025 pending bankruptcy court and regulatory approvals, Regeneron said.
The Tarrytown, New York-based pharmaceutical company pledged to remain compliant with 23andMe’s consumer-privacy rules and vowed to work with a court-appointed ombudsman who will investigate the matter.
Re: 23andMe is auctioning off all of its data from consumers
Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia on Monday filed a lawsuit in bankruptcy court seeking to block the sale of personal genetic data by 23andMe without customer consent. The lawsuit comes as a biotechnology company seeks the court's approval to buy the struggling firm.
Biological samples, DNA data, health-related traits and medical records are too sensitive to be sold without each person’s express, informed consent, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said in a news release about the lawsuit. Customers should have the right to control such deeply personal information and it cannot be sold like ordinary property, it said.
https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireS ... itter_abcn
Biological samples, DNA data, health-related traits and medical records are too sensitive to be sold without each person’s express, informed consent, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said in a news release about the lawsuit. Customers should have the right to control such deeply personal information and it cannot be sold like ordinary property, it said.
https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireS ... itter_abcn
Re: 23andMe is auctioning off all of its data from consumers
A U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware approved the $305 million sale of 23andMe to TTAM Research Institute, a California nonprofit led by former CEO Anne Wojcicki, the company announced Monday. The deal aims to address concerns over the genetic data of 15 million customers after the company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in March.
TTAM will maintain 23andMe’s privacy policies and add data security measures, according to a company statement. The acquisition includes Lemonaid Health, purchased by 23andMe for $400 million in 2021. The sale, outbidding a $256 million offer from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, is expected to close soon, with customers notified by email beforehand.
Wojcicki, 23andMe’s co-founder, said TTAM will focus on “the public good.” “I am thrilled that TTAM will be able to build on the mission of 23andMe to help people access, understand and benefit from the human genome,” she stated. The nonprofit claims it will prioritize customer choice and transparency.
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/court-a ... itter_abcn
TTAM will maintain 23andMe’s privacy policies and add data security measures, according to a company statement. The acquisition includes Lemonaid Health, purchased by 23andMe for $400 million in 2021. The sale, outbidding a $256 million offer from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, is expected to close soon, with customers notified by email beforehand.
Wojcicki, 23andMe’s co-founder, said TTAM will focus on “the public good.” “I am thrilled that TTAM will be able to build on the mission of 23andMe to help people access, understand and benefit from the human genome,” she stated. The nonprofit claims it will prioritize customer choice and transparency.
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/court-a ... itter_abcn
Re: 23andMe is auctioning off all of its data from consumers
UPDATE: A U.S. district judge in St. Louis temporarily halted the $305 million sale of 23andMe to TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit led by former CEO Anne Wojcicki, late Monday. This follows our previous report on the Delaware Bankruptcy Court’s approval of the deal, which aimed to safeguard 15 million customers’ genetic data after 23andMe’s March Chapter 11 filing.
California, representing 1.8 million of 23andMe’s 10 million genetic profiles, argues the sale violates its Genetic Information Privacy Act, requiring explicit consent for each genetic data transfer. U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp granted a three-day pause, with a Thursday hearing set to decide if the block extends during California’s appeal. Bankruptcy Judge Brian Walsh had earlier dismissed objections from California and 27 other states, noting customers can delete their data post-sale.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/transacti ... ce=twitter
California, representing 1.8 million of 23andMe’s 10 million genetic profiles, argues the sale violates its Genetic Information Privacy Act, requiring explicit consent for each genetic data transfer. U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp granted a three-day pause, with a Thursday hearing set to decide if the block extends during California’s appeal. Bankruptcy Judge Brian Walsh had earlier dismissed objections from California and 27 other states, noting customers can delete their data post-sale.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/transacti ... ce=twitter
Re: 23andMe is auctioning off all of its data from consumers
A federal judge has allowed the bankruptcy sale of genetic testing company 23andMe to proceed to its co-founder Anne Wojcicki, despite a legal challenge from California.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp in St. Louis, Missouri, during a hearing said he would not pause the $305 million sale while he reviews the state's bid for a declaration that 23andMe cannot sell California customers' genetic data without their consent.
The company, which once boasted a $6 billion valuation, filed for bankruptcy in March 2025 after its value plummeted to under $50 million, driven by financial instability and privacy concerns over its 15 million users' genetic data.
Despite offering FDA-authorized genetic health reports with over 99% accuracy, the firm faces scrutiny over data security, highlighting a gap between technical reliability and regulatory oversight during the bankruptcy process.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigatio ... 025-07-10/
U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp in St. Louis, Missouri, during a hearing said he would not pause the $305 million sale while he reviews the state's bid for a declaration that 23andMe cannot sell California customers' genetic data without their consent.
The company, which once boasted a $6 billion valuation, filed for bankruptcy in March 2025 after its value plummeted to under $50 million, driven by financial instability and privacy concerns over its 15 million users' genetic data.
Despite offering FDA-authorized genetic health reports with over 99% accuracy, the firm faces scrutiny over data security, highlighting a gap between technical reliability and regulatory oversight during the bankruptcy process.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigatio ... 025-07-10/