23andMe Launches Web-Based Service Empowering Individuals to Access and Understand Their Own Genetic Information
DNA Analysis Technologies and Web-Based Tools Offer Insight into Personal Genetic Make-Up
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- November 19, 2007 -- 23andMe, Inc., a privately-held personal genetics company, announced today that it has officially launched and has begun offering its services directly to consumers in the United States. 23andMe is helping individuals understand their own genetic information through the latest advances in DNA analysis and web-based interactive tools. The Company's service will enable customers to gain deeper insights into their ancestry and other inherited traits which are marked in an individual's genetic code.
The 23andMe service allows individuals to:
Linda Avey, co-founder of 23andMe, said, "Over the past several years, significant advances have been made in the field of genetics. The mission of 23andMe is to take the genetic revolution to a new level by offering a secure, web-based service where individuals can explore, share and better understand their own genetic information."
Anne Wojcicki, co-founder of 23andMe, said, "23andMe is designed to provide our customers with scientifically accurate, high-quality information about their own genetic code in a format that is easy to understand and use. We believe this information provides intriguing insights into an individual's genetics, with the goal of expanding the collective knowledge base by enabling active participation in research."
How 23andMe's services work:
23andMe sends individuals a saliva kit containing a barcoded tube for saliva collection. Customers then use the enclosed mailing materials to send their samples to 23andMe's contracted laboratory. The DNA is then extracted and exposed to a microchip-like device made by Illumina, a leading developer of genetic analysis tools (Nasdaq: ILMN), that reads more than half a million points in the individual's genome, including a proprietary set chosen by 23andMe scientists, to produce a detailed genetic profile.
Once the analysis has been completed, individuals will be able to use their own private login to access their data via 23andMe's secure website. Using 23andMe's web-based tools, individuals can explore their ancestry, see what genetics research means for them and compare themselves to friends and family members.
Ultimately, they will become part of a community that works together to advance the overall understanding of the human genome.
Jay Flatley, CEO of Illumina, said, "We believe this service will open up a new world of genetic awareness that could complement traditional research efforts in ways we haven't even considered."
Esther Dyson, a director of 23andMe and an investor, said, "23andMe allows individuals to explore and potentially benefit from information related to their health, inherited features, and even unknown talents exposed in their genotype. It is our belief that 23andMe will help people to better understand the interacting roles of inheritance, environment and behavior. By bringing individuals together, we will have the power to unveil what our genetic framework means for us, and how we can use that information to improve our lives."
Webcast Information
Co-founders Linda Avey and Anne Wojcicki will hold a webcast media briefing today at 11:00 am PST/2:00 pm EST. The address for the interactive webcast is: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-eventDetails&c [1]= 217307&eventID=1697611. (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.) Accredited media will be invited to submit questions following a presentation on the product by the co-founders.
Joining the 23andMe Community
To learn more and embark on your own personal genetic journey, please visit www.23andMe.com [2].
About 23andMe
23andMe, Inc. is a privately-held personal genetics company dedicated to helping individuals understand their own genetic information through DNA analysis technologies and web-based interactive tools. The company's Personal Genome Service enables individuals to gain deeper insights into their ancestry and inherited traits. 23andMe, Inc., was founded by Linda Avey and Anne Wojcicki in 2006, and the company is advised by a group of renowned experts in the fields of human genetics, bioinformatics and computer science. Its Series A investors include Genentech, Inc., Google Inc. and New Enterprise Associates. More information is available at www.23andMe.com [2].
Links:
[1] http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-eventDetails&c
[2] http://www.23andme.com/