By Wyatte Grantham-Philips
NEW YORK (AP) – Anne Wojcicki’s bid to purchase 23andMe, a genetic testing company she co-founded nearly 20 years ago, received Court Greenlight.
That means Wojcicki’s non-profit TTAM Research Institute will purchase “virtually everything” of San Francisco-based 23Andme’s assets for $305 million. Transactions that arrive more than three months after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy will be officially closed in the coming weeks.
“We are excited that TTAM can help people access, understand and benefit from the human genome based on the mission of 23andMe,” Wojcicki said in a statement Monday.
The sale, approved Friday by US Bankruptcy Judge Brian C. Walsh, marks the end of a multi-month bid war between TTAM and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. However, Wojcicki’s nonprofit later broke through that offer and won the final round of bid held last month.
Under this agreement, TTAM will obtain 23AndMe signature “Personal Genomic Services” provided through its Saliva-based DNA Test Kit, as well as its LemonAid Health Subsidiary, a telehealth service provider that 23AndMe had previously planned to terminate.
Wojcicki worked for a while to make 23andme private. Since its launch in 2021, the company has struggled to find a profitable business model, so she claims to make out-of-market pressure work better. However, the efforts proved to be turbulent – in September last year, all 23andme’s independent directors resigned from the board citing a “clear” difference in opinion with Wojcicki about the company’s future after the negotiations that was drawn out.
23AndMe’s March bankruptcy filing and subsequent efforts to acquire the company from Wojcicki failed. When 23Andme applied for Chapter 11 in late March, Wojcicki resigned as CEO. At the time, she had resigned to “have the highest position” as an independent bidder.
With Wojcicki’s nonprofit now getting 23AndMe, it’s unclear whether the co-founder will return to the CEO sheet. However, despite resigning from the top post several months ago, Wojcicki remains on the company’s board of directors throughout the bankruptcy process.
Beyond financial stocks up until bankruptcy of 23AndMe, privacy concerns have also emerged related to client genetic information. Even before the bankruptcy process, it goes back especially to the 2023 data breaches. However, we are concerned that new ownership has been bubbly for the personal data of 23AndMe users in recent months. The genetic testing business had around 13 million customers at the time of the sales hearing, court documents say.
In June, 27 states and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits attempting to block the sale of personal genetic data by 23andMe without the consent of customers. And in the memorandum of understanding that outlined the sale of his approval 23andme to TTAM on Friday, Walsh admitted objections to the acquisitions of these states, but many noted that it has since been settled. Still, California, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas and Utah “continue to actively oppose the sale.”
In a statement to Politico on Monday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office argued that the sale of 23andme “doesn’t comply” with the state’s genetic privacy laws and said it was “disappointed” by the court’s approval, adding that it is evaluating its next step.
The Associated Press contacted Bonta’s office on Tuesday for further comment.
When last month announced a sale intended for sale to a nonprofit organization, 23andme confirmed that TTAM “confirmed its commitment” to comply with the company’s privacy policy and applicable laws. This means that TTAM respects existing policies regarding consumer data, including allowing users to delete data and “opt-out” of investigations.
All customers will be emailed at least two business days before the acquisition closes. There are instructions on how to delete data and how to opt out of investigations, 23Andme said. The company added that TTAM will provide its customers with two years of Experian Identity Theft monitoring for free.
23Andme repeated these privacy policies on Monday. And Wojcicki said, “The heart of my belief is that individuals can have choice and transparency regarding their genetic data, and that they have the opportunity to continue learning about their ancestors and health risks.”
Original issue: July 1, 2025, 7:13pm EDT
