Judge approves 23andMe sale to founder’s nonprofit

A federal judge has approved the sale of 23andMe to TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit founded by company co-founder and former CEO Anne Wojcicki.

The deal would avoid the transfer of genetic information to a third party.

In May, when it was announced that Regeneron Pharmaceuticals had won a bid to acquire 23andMe for $256 million, the prospect of the DNA data of millions of people going to the firm had sparked public criticism.

TTAM won with a $305 million bid. The move calms privacy concerns, as it will retain 23andMe’s existing leadership and policies, allowing users to delete their data. The institute also pledged stricter safeguards.

Over 80% of 23andMe’s 15 million users have agreed to share their data for research. 

Still, five states oppose the sale and may appeal by July 7.