23andMe Announces Breast Cancer Initiative
October 2, 2008
Personal Genetics Leader to Focus on Building DNA-based Community For Women Impacted by Breast Cancer
CARLSBAD, CA. – October 2, 2008 – 23andMe, Inc.,
the industry leader in personal genetics, today announced that it is
embarking on a world-wide effort to assemble the largest cohort of
women whose lives have been impacted by breast cancer and to build
an infrastructure, based on genetics, that will accelerate
consumer-based research of the disease. In honor of the 23rd
anniversary of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month,
co-founders Linda Avey and Anne Wojcicki told science and business
leaders at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Conference that the company
will seek to reach out to, and build a community around, women who
have encountered breast cancer, thereby increasing the scientific
understanding of the inherited aspects of a disease that affects
200,000 newly diagnosed individuals per year. In recent years, the
scientific community has effectively utilized genetic testing to
direct and dramatically improve breast cancer treatment. “Great
strides have been made in targeting treatment for breast cancer,”
said Linda Avey. “We’d like to build on this progress, and we
believe that by creating a web-based forum that enables women to
share their experiences, the entire community could benefit, and
more personalized treatments may ultimately be an outcome.” Women
who sign up for 23andMe’s genetic testing service can opt-in to take
surveys that help drive genome-wide association studies. Genetic
profiles combined with medical and family history contribute greatly
to research efforts, and help researchers understand causes around
disease and treatment. The company will be creating a specific
breast cancer network within 23andWe, the research division of
23andMe. There, women whose lives have been touched by breast cancer
can come together, build a community, share knowledge and offer
advice. “Women who have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer
can learn a tremendous amount from women who have already been
treated,” said Anne Wojcicki. “By combining the ability to
participate in research with the ability to learn from each other,
23andMe hopes to make a significant contribution to this community.”
The 23andMe™ service enables its customers to:
- Learn how the latest research studies relate to their genomes;
- Actively participate in a new research approach and contribute to the advancement of the field of genetics.
- Compare their profiles to family and friends who are also 23andMe participants and trace the inheritance of genes associated with specific traits.
- Join discussion groups around any areas of interest, both health and ancestry-related.
To learn more and embark on your own personal genetics journey, please visit: www.23andme.org . 23andMe is now available to consumers in the following locations: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vatican City State.
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.