23andMe using DNA to Develop New Drugs

Here is a positive story to get your week off to a good start. Genetic test-kit company 23andMe (which uses lots of our company Illumina's sequencing machines) is using those test results to develop new drugs.

Privately held 23andMe has for years used saliva tests to tell millions of consumers how closely related they are to Neanderthals or whether they are likely to develop diseases like diabetes or Alzheimer's. As a result the company has genetic information on 8 million people, and the majority of their customers also choose to answer questionnaires on their health. Comparing the two, provides clues on the links between genetics and particular ailments.



GlaxoSmithKline took a $300 million stake in 23andMe last year and the two companies have been sharing all that genetic data to identify drug targets. Human trials are starting. The biggest win for Glaxo is just finding the right patients to join clinical trials. Typically, drugmakers rely on advertisements and doctors to spread the word about trials, and not all patients who express an interest are eligible.

For example, one of their targets is a rare mutation in a gene called LRRK2 that raises the risk of developing Parkinson's. Around one in a thousand people are carriers, which would make them very difficult to find using traditional trial-recruitment tactics. 23andMe has contact details for 7,500 carriers it can invite to participate.

Others are making similar bets. Another Vestact recommended stock, Amgen, bought deCODE Genetics, which started out as an initiative to gather genetic data from the Icelandic population, to help it hunt for potential drug targets.

More on this story here, on the Wall Street Journal (requires a subscription): How Drug Companies Are Using Your DNA To Make New Medicine.