Regeneron to buy 23andMe and its user data for $256M
Pharmaceutical giant Regeneron announced Monday that it will acquire genetic testing company 23andMe for $256 million, following a court-supervised bankruptcy auction. The deal, if approved, will grant Regeneron ownership of 23andMe’s genomics service and a massive trove of personal and genetic data from roughly 15 million customers.
The acquisition comes in the wake of 23andMe’s steep decline, punctuated by a series of high-profile challenges. The once-popular consumer DNA testing company filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2025, months after a devastating data breach exposed the private information of 7 million users. The breach, coupled with dwindling consumer interest in at-home DNA kits, triggered a collapse in the company’s valuation and the resignation of CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki.
Regeneron, a leading player in biopharmaceuticals, said it will use the acquired data to accelerate drug discovery and development. The company emphasized that it will uphold ethical standards in managing the sensitive data, stating it will “prioritize the privacy, security, and ethical use of 23andMe’s customer data.”
The potential sale has raised concerns among privacy advocates and some lawmakers, particularly around the fate of millions of individuals’ genetic information. Following the bankruptcy filing, fears emerged that 23andMe’s data assets could be sold to less scrupulous or even foreign entities. Regeneron’s statement appears to address those concerns directly, pledging compliance with 23andMe’s existing privacy policies and applicable laws governing genetic data.
The bankruptcy court overseeing the case will review Regeneron’s acquisition proposal on June 17. As part of the deal, Regeneron will not acquire 23andMe’s telehealth subsidiary, Lemonaid Health, which is expected to be sold separately or liquidated.
The acquisition marks a turning point in the intersection of health data and pharmaceutical research, potentially setting new precedents for how genetic information is leveraged in commercial drug development. However, it also underscores the volatility and ethical dilemmas inherent in the commercialization of personal health data.
