$6B valuation to bankruptcy: 23andMe acquired by nonprofit research institute TTAM, Anne Wojcicki announces

Time of India

17-07-2025

In a landmark shift for consumer genomics,
Anne Wojcicki
, the co-founder and former CEO of 23andMe, has announced the acquisition of the embattled
DNA testing
giant by her newly formed nonprofit,
TTAM Research Institute
. Once valued at nearly $6 billion,
23andMe
has faced financial challenges, a public data breach, and declining consumer interest in recent years. Now, through a $305 million court-approved bankruptcy sale, the company's core operations, including its genetic testing and research services, will transition to a nonprofit model.
Wojcicki, who personally led the acquisition effort, said the move is rooted in a firm belief: 'Everyone should continue to have the ability to learn about and benefit from their DNA,' and a nonprofit structure is the most ethical way to preserve that mission. She will serve as the head of TTAM, reaffirming her commitment to placing people over profits in the future of genomic science.
Why a nonprofit takeover of 23andMe matters
At the heart of the TTAM acquisition is a philosophical realignment of 23andMe's founding values. According to Wojcicki, the company was always meant to empower individuals to understand themselves at the deepest level, through their DNA. She emphasized that the code of life is not just a personal tool but a scientific frontier that benefits everyone.
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By removing shareholder pressure and prioritizing public interest, TTAM aims to return to those roots. The organization will focus on ethically driven research, privacy protection, and expanding access to genetic insights, particularly for underserved populations.
Wojcicki's vision resonates with urgency and passion. She said it has been sharpened by the recent personal losses of her father, sister, and nephew. These events, she shared publicly, have redirected her energy toward giving back to society with research and helping people benefit from learning about their genome.
Deal specifics and legal hurdles
The acquisition was executed under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, a provision that allows distressed companies to sell assets quickly and with court approval. TTAM's $305 million bid outpaced an earlier offer from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Despite objections from several U.S. states over privacy concerns related to genetic data, the court ultimately sided with TTAM, requiring that consumers be notified and retain the right to delete their data.
This legal safeguard ensures that customer control over sensitive genetic data remains intact, which Wojcicki has confirmed will continue under TTAM's leadership.
Preserving customer access and privacy
Wojcicki emphasized that current users will continue receiving DNA insights and ancestry reports without interruption. More importantly, TTAM is reinforcing 23andMe's commitment to data privacy, transparency, and informed consent.
Over 80 percent of 23andMe's 15 million users have opted into research programs, a statistic Wojcicki proudly cited in her announcement. She credited this engaged community with powering more than 275 peer-reviewed publications across cancer, cardiovascular, and neurological conditions.
This research model will remain fully opt-in, and data use will be clearly communicated to users. In her words, 'We are stronger and more powerful to make discoveries when we come together as a single community.'
Reinvigorating research and science
The transition to nonprofit status is expected to supercharge research efforts, with TTAM pledging to invest $84 million in operations over the next year. While 23andMe's contributions to science have already been significant, Wojcicki envisions a more inclusive, mission-driven approach targeting global health disparities and diseases that affect underrepresented populations.
She called the pursuit of understanding DNA one of the most exciting scientific missions of our lifetime, emphasizing the 99.5 percent genetic similarity among all humans as a basis for uniting research and discovery across borders.
By removing commercial pressures, TTAM seeks to transform 23andMe into a global engine for health equity, scientific collaboration, and breakthrough innovation.
Anne Wojcicki's renewed leadership
For Wojcicki, returning to lead 23andMe under TTAM is both a professional and personal turning point. After years of regulatory battles, Wall Street pressures, and internal setbacks, she is now free to lead with a clear, mission-first mandate.
She framed her return as a personal calling, saying, 'My passion is 23andMe… the opportunity to help everyone benefit from learning about their genome with a healthier life is a personal mission where I am dedicating my resources and my time.'
This next chapter, she said, will be defined by transparency, ethics, diversity, and inclusion, a model she hopes will inspire a new era of socially responsible biotech innovation.
The future of personal genomics
TTAM's acquisition of 23andMe marks a bold experiment. Can
personal genomics
thrive outside of the profit-driven corporate model? With Wojcicki at the helm and a powerful community of users behind it, the answer may well be yes.
As Wojcicki put it, 'The future of healthcare belongs to all of us, and it's in our power to make a difference.' With continued public engagement, user-driven research, and an emphasis on health outcomes over quarterly earnings, 23andMe under TTAM has the potential to reimagine the role of DNA in everyday life.