What will happen to your genetic data after 23andMe sale?

SALT LAKE CITY — Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has said it will preserve the privacy of 23andMe's genetic data after it acquires the DNA testing company.

23andMe filed for bankruptcy in March, and now the business and most of its assets will be acquired by Regeneron following an auction last week that was part of the bankruptcy proceedings, according to The Washington Post.

The DNA testing company sold for $265 million, per BBC.

Before the sale, 23andMe and U.S. officials were concerned about what would happen to user data, but Regeneron has pledged to comply with data privacy practices.

"We are pleased to have reached a transaction that maximizes the value of the business and enables the mission of 23andMe to live on, while maintaining critical protections around customer privacy, choice and consent with respect to their genetic data," said 23andMe's board chairman Mark Jensen, according to BBC.

23andMe will continue to operate as a unit within Regeneron, which is planning on using the company's data for drug development.

What Regeneron will be using the data for

After acquiring 23andMe, Regeneron will use its DNA data to "supercharge its efforts to mine genetic data for insights in crafting novel medicines," per The Washington Post.

In a statement, the pharmaceutical company emphasized that it is experienced in handling sensitive data, as it has previously worked with anonymized DNA sequences from around 3 million people.

According to The Washington Post, Regeneron has pledged to comply with the privacy practices of 23andMe and laws that govern customer data.

Regeneron has also agreed to have an independent ombudsman oversee the protection of user data following demands from several state attorneys general in the U.S.

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