23andMe Announces Additional Investment in Series C Financing; Dr. Ashley Ledbetter Dombkowski of MPM Capital Joins 23andMe’s Board of Directors
January 7, 2011
Following this year’s landmark FDA clearance for genetic health reports, company will use funds to fuel customer growth and further invest in its research platform
Mountain View, Calif. – January 7, 2011 – 23andMe,
a leading personal genomics company, today announced the addition of
approximately $9 million to its Series C Financing to bring the
total raised in the round to approximately $31 million. 23andMe
first announced
its Series C Financing in November 2010. With this closing, MPM
Capital joins Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation as new
investors and MPM Capital Managing Director
Ashley Ledbetter Dombkowski, PhD
is joining 23andMe’s Board of Directors. Dombkowski is a member of
MPM’s Investment Committee and has contributed to the strategic
advancement of innovative healthcare companies at all stages of
development. Recently named one of the Most Influential Women of
2010 by the San Jose/Silicon Valley Business Journal, Dombkowski
brings more than 15 years of experience in managing investments in
the biotech, medical device and pharmaceutical industries. “With MPM
Capital joining Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation, Roche
Venture Fund, Google Ventures and New Enterprise Associates as
investors, 23andMe has aligned a powerful constellation of expertise
in strategic healthcare, healthcare venture funding, consumer
markets, information technology, and business strategy that will
enable us to bring the vision of personalized medicine to consumers
faster,” said 23andMe Co-founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki. “Dr.
Dombkowski’s experience and deep connections in the healthcare
industry make her a valuable addition to our Board.” “By combining
state-of-the-art genotyping technology with sophisticated
information technology tools, 23andMe is helping to usher in the age
of personalized medicine in a way that can truly empower individuals
while in parallel fueling ground breaking research,” said
Dombkowski. “It’s quite extraordinary how much capacity this
platform has to power innovative breakthroughs in partnership with
clinicians, researchers and patients. As a scientist, investor and
individual, I am delighted to be working with the 23andMe team.”
This press release does not constitute or form part of, and should
not be construed as an offer or an invitation to sell or issue, or
the solicitation of any offer to buy or subscribe for, any
securities.
About MPM Capital
MPM Capital is one of the world’s largest life science-dedicated
venture investors. With committed capital under management in excess
of $2.5 billion, MPM Capital is uniquely structured to invest
globally in healthcare innovation. More information is available at
www.mpmcapital.com
.
About 23andMe
23andMe, Inc., headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, is a leading consumer genetics and research company. Founded in 2006, the company’s mission is to help people access, understand, and benefit from the human genome. 23andMe has pioneered direct access to genetic information as the only company with multiple FDA clearances for genetic health reports. The company has created the world’s largest crowdsourced platform for genetic research, with 80% of its customers electing to participate. The 23andMe research platform has generated more than 180 publications on the genetic underpinnings of a wide range of diseases. The platform also powers the 23andMe Therapeutics group, currently pursuing drug discovery programs rooted in human genetics across a spectrum of disease areas, including oncology, respiratory, and cardiovascular diseases, in addition to other therapeutic areas. More information is available at www.23andme.org.