23andMe sale for 256 million $ raises concerns about privacy of users’ genetic information

Biotech giant Regeneron is buying bankrupt genetic testing firm 23andMe for $256 million, promising to uphold its current privacy policies. But advocates and regulators are concerned about potential threats to control sensitive personal information.

Biotech giant Regeneron is buying bankrupt genetic testing firm 23andMe for $256 million, vowing to uphold its current privacy policies. But activists and regulators are concerned about potential threats to control sensitive personal information.

• Regeneron Pharmaceuticals will acquire key assets of 23andMe, including its genomic services, research infrastructure and biobank. The company has promised to uphold a privacy policy that prevents data from being shared with insurers, employers or law enforcement without a court order. Despite the assurances, privacy experts say even the best intentions can’t make up for the lack of a nationwide privacy law.
• 23andMe, once a pioneer in personal genetics, filed for bankruptcy in March 2025, sending shockwaves through users who had been sending their DNA samples to the company for years. The announcement was immediately followed by a wave of requests to delete genetic profiles. The California attorney general even publicly called for the company to destroy all personal information from its pages.

While Regeneron insists on privacy, the future of more than 14 million genetic profiles now depends on how honestly and openly its commitments are fulfilled — and whether users take appropriate action on their own in time.