Genetic data driving therapeutic insights

Concurrent with the 23andMe database surpassing one million genotypes, our therapeutics division was founded to enable our customer community to be part of addressing human disease. Led by former Genentech Head of Research and Early Development and Series A 23andMe investor Richard Scheller, 23andMe Therapeutics began building the talent and infrastructure to become an integrated biotechnology company with the vision to use genetics to predict, prevent, and treat disease.

The immunological checkpoint CD200R1 was identified as a target of interest through our immuno-oncology signature; 23andMe began target validation and antibody discovery for what would eventually become 23ME-00610.

We embarked on an exclusive four-year collaboration with GSK that generated more than 50 programs across multiple therapeutic areas.

The NK cell-suppressing tumor cell protein ULBP6 was identified as a target of interest through our immuno-oncology signature. 23andMe began a number of laboratory investigations and started creating the antibody that would become 23ME-01473.

GSK filed the Investigational New Drug Application for the joint 23andMe/GSK program directed to the molecule GSK6097608, an antibody targeting the CD96 receptor in patients with solid tumors, and the Phase 1 study commenced.

Having received clearance of its first Investigational New Drug Application to the FDA as sponsor, 23andMe began dosing a group of 28 patients with advanced solid tumors in the dose escalation study of our wholly-owned immuno-oncology program targeting immunological checkpoint receptor CD200R1. Eventually 13 clinical sites in the US and Canada were added to the study.

With more than 50 active programs generated, our exclusive collaboration with GSK was extended for an additional year under the terms of the agreement. GSK continued to lead development of GSK6097608, an immuno-oncology therapeutic mAb targeting CD96, while 23andMe chose to take a royalty option for this target.

23andMe announced that the Phase 1 dose escalation had been completed and a dose chosen for the Phase 2a portion of the ongoing Phase 1/2a clinical trial. The first Phase 2 patient in the solid tumor expansion cohorts was enrolled.

GSK renewed its relationship with 23andMe with a non-exclusive license to access the database. The end of our exclusive collaboration with GSK has enabled additional collaborations with companies interested in leveraging the 23andMe database, as well as our experience in interrogating it.

23ME-01473, 23andMe Therapeutics’ second wholly owned immuno-oncology program receives IND clearance from the FDA.