23andMe’s slumping sales are on the rebound, CEO says

Consumer genetics giant 23andMe saw its business slow down significantly last year, leading the company to lay off 14% of its staff in January. But the coronavirus pandemic has led to an uptick in sales of spit kits, CEO Anne Wojcicki said.

Speaking to STAT in a video interview, Wojcicki said 23andMe was caught off guard by the rebound in sales, which began in March. “I think this whole experience with Covid has gotten people more and more interested in digital health,” she said.

And 23andMe is hoping that interest persists. The company is shifting its focus away from ancestry data and investing in its health business, which includes providing data on disease risk and drug reactions and working with pharma companies to develop new medicines.

Watch the interview.