23andMe files for bankruptcy

I got my genome sequenced several years ago by Veritas Genetics. They were running a special for whole genome sequencing at 30-50x coverage for $200, and for an extra $100, I got my variant call file. For a molecular geneticist, this was a dream come true! Now, anytime I see a variant reported as linked to disease risk, I can check whether I have that variant. So far, I seem to have won the genetics lotto.

Veritas Genetics suspended its U.S. operations in December 2019 due to funding issues. In March 2022, Veritas was acquired by at-home health testing company LetsGetChecked.

23andMe is not genome sequencing. It uses microarrays to spot known variants. Mostly, people used it for ancestry (Veritas also included ancestry in my report). I see where the market for 23andMe genome services has shrunk to unsustainability, and they’ve filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy.

I’m a big fan of direct-to-consumer genomics, but I’ve never understood the business model. Looks like some CEOs didn’t, either.

Direct-to-consumer genomics: harmful or empowering?