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Big Pharma backing controversial '23andMe' DNA test-kits

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Forbes reports that Roche-owned Biotech firm Genentech has stumped up $10 million in backing for the controversial '23andMe' company - a firm which gives people data on health risks based on their DNA.

This is just the first of ten deals reported to to coming from big players in pharma. Late last year, 23andMe announced its arrival in the UK - despite being restricted in the US by the FDA.

“23andMe’s mission is to ensure that individuals can personally access, understand and benefit from the human genome,” said 23andMe CEO Anne Wojcicki. “The UK is a world leader in genomics and we are very excited to offer a product specifically for UK customers.”

The company sells DNA testing packs to individuals, and returns information pertaining to potential health risks and ancestry. However in 2013 the FDA prevented the firm from returning health-related data to customers, severely limiting its impact.

The agreements with pharmaceutical companies will see customer-donated DNA data sold to pharma firms for research purposes.

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