23andMe, GSK deepen pact with new $20-million data licensing deal

23andMe on Monday announced a new non-exclusive data licensing agreement with GSK that will allow the UK company to access its database for one year to conduct drug target discovery and other research. The deal, which extends the companies' existing partnership, includes a $20-million upfront payment to 23andMe, as well as access to further analyses of data. 

Anne Wojcicki, CEO at the DNA testing firm, said "the continued relationship with GSK demonstrates the power of the 23andMe research platform to consistently produce novel insights for therapeutic development, rooted in human genetics."

The companies first teamed up in 2018 to identify disease-relevant genes and novel drug targets, initially focusing on an investigational LRRK2 inhibitor for Parkinson's disease. Wojcicki noted that the partners have developed approximately 50 programmes over the last five years, including launching a clinical trial of a cancer drug that works to block CD96.

GSK gains full ownership

Under the latest deal, GSK will gain access to anonymised summary data from a global genome- and phenome-wide analysis of 23andMe's database, along with research services for analyses of the data over the 12-month period. Unlike the previous deal, where the partners jointly pursued drug targets, GSK will instead retain ownership of any drug discovery programmes initiated during the new agreement. 23andMe said it may be eligible for downstream royalties under certain uses of the database by GSK.  

Meanwhile, 23andMe is taking the royalty option on three programmes previously initiated by the companies, which GSK will independently advance, with 23andMe holding certain rights to downstream royalties. 

Last week, 23andMe introduced a new DNA-sequencing product for $1188 that helps customers better understand and manage health risks hidden in their DNA.

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