From unicorn to bankruptcy, 23andMe plummeted 52% on Monday, leaving the security of over 15 million users' genetic data in question

On Monday, the stock price of the American genetic testing "unicorn" startup 23andMe plummeted over 52.5% during intraday trading, dropping to $0.85 at one point. The company's total market value has shrunk from nearly $6 billion at its peak at the end of 2021 to about $24 million.

Declining Demand and Data Breach, 23andMe Heads Towards Bankruptcy

Previously, the company had filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri due to declining demand for its ancestry testing kits, compounded by the impact of a previous data breach incident. This cash-burning startup, which has never turned a profit, ultimately had to embark on the path to bankruptcy.

23andMe announced that CEO Anne Wojcicki has immediately resigned but will retain her position as a member of the company's board of directors.

In fact, as early as mid-November last year, 23andMe had already laid off about 40% of its workforce as one of the cost-cutting measures.

Selling for Survival, Board Seeks "Value Maximization"

The company is currently seeking a final attempt to maximize value. Mark Jensen, a member and chairman of the board's special committee, wrote in a statement:

"After a comprehensive evaluation of various strategic options, we believe that a court-supervised sale process is the best path to maximize the company's value."

Jensen stated:

"We expect that the court-supervised process will help us address the operational and financial challenges we currently face, including further cost reductions, resolving legal disputes, and managing lease burdens.

We believe that the company's talent and assets hold value, and we hope this process will allow us to continue our mission of 'helping people access, understand, and benefit from the human genome', continuing to serve our customers and patients."

Data Security Concerns: The Fate of 15 Million Users' Genetic Information Uncertain

In this crisis, the most concerning question is: What will happen to the genetic data of over 15 million users?

The company stated:

"We want to thank all employees for their dedication to the mission of 23andMe. Throughout this process, we will be committed to supporting our employees.

Additionally, we are committed to continuing to protect customer data security and maintaining transparency in the management of user data in the future. Data privacy will be an important consideration in any potential transaction."

However, market concerns remain high. Healthcare investor Will Manidis previously warned:

"This chaos will inevitably be sold off cheaply to some overseas private equity firm, which will become an unprecedented national security issue in the healthcare sector in recent years."

As 23andMe officially enters bankruptcy proceedings, the next key step is to see who will acquire this vast genetic data goldmine and how they will monetize this data