Overview

• Regeneron’s $256 million offer was named the winning bid in May after 23andMe filed for Chapter 11, but Anne Wojcicki’s $305 million counteroffer through the TTAM Research Institute prompted a judge to reopen the auction.
• Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia have sued to block the transfer of genetic data belonging to 15 million customers, arguing that state privacy laws prohibit its sale without explicit consent.
• Interim CEO Joe Selsavage told Congress that 1.9 million users, about 15 percent of the database, have requested deletion of their genetic profiles since the bankruptcy filing.
• U.S. Representatives led by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jan Schakowsky have sent letters demanding that any buyer guarantee continued deletion rights, informed consent for research use and limits on law enforcement access.
• Privacy experts warn that the court’s ruling could set a precedent for the sale of consumer genetic data in the absence of federal protections comparable to HIPAA.