Google Founder's Wife Wants Elite Journalist Spit
Anne Wojcicki, wife of the search engine's Sergey Brin, has a special offer for those select journalists invited to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The first 50 reporters to show up will receive a complimentary DNA test from 23andMe, the personal genome service which Wojcicki founded with a little financial help from her billionaire husband. The company's most exciting offering: an "odds calculator", which indicates the likelihood of the subjects falling victim to common journalistic ailments such as heart disease, and Alzheimers. What about technological redundancy? After the jump, the full release.
MEDIA ADVISORY: 23andMe™ to Hold Press Meeting at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008
Complimentary Personal Genome ServiceTM to be Offered to 50 Press Attendees
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – January 18, 2008 – 23andMe, Inc., a privately-held personal genetics company, announced today that it will be holding a press meeting at this year's World Economic Forum in Davos:
Date: Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008
Time: 10.00 – 11.00am CET
Venue: Belvedere Hotel (Promenade 89/7270 Davos-Platz), Salon Scaletta, during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland
Co-Founders Linda Avey and Anne Wojcicki and employees from 23andMe will be available to provide live demonstrations of 23andMe's Personal Genome Service and field questions from members of the press. Fifty media attendees will be offered complimentary access to the service. Accredited members of the press are welcome to attend.
The Company's service, which retails for $999 USD, enables individuals to gain deeper insights into their ancestry and other inherited traits.
The 23andMe service allows individuals to:
- Search and explore their genomes;
- Learn how the latest research studies relate directly to their genome;
- Compare their genomes to family and friends who are also 23andMe participants;
- Discover their genetic roots and find where they sit on the tree of human genetic history; and
- Give individuals the option to actively participate in a new research approach.
How 23andMe's services work:
- 23andMe sends individuals a Spit KitTM containing a barcoded tube for saliva collection. Customers then use the enclosed mailing materials to send their samples to 23andMe's contracted laboratory. The DNA is then extracted and exposed to a microchip-like device made by Illumina, Inc., a leading developer of genetic analysis tools (Nasdaq: ILMN), that reads more than half a million points in the individual's genome, including a proprietary set chosen by 23andMe scientists, to produce each customer's genetic data.
- Once the analysis has been completed, individuals will be able to use their own private login to access their data via 23andMe's secure website. Using 23andMe's web-based tools, individuals can explore their ancestry, see what genetics research means for them and compare themselves to friends and family members.
- Ultimately, individuals will become part of a community that works together to advance the overall understanding of the human genome.
About 23andMe
23andMe, Inc. is a privately-held personal genetics company dedicated to helping individuals understand their own genetic information through DNA analysis technologies and web-based interactive tools. The company's Personal Genome Service enables individuals to gain deeper insights into their ancestry and inherited traits. 23andMe, Inc., was founded by Linda Avey and Anne Wojcicki in 2006, and the company is advised by a group of renowned experts in the fields of human genetics, bioinformatics and computer science. Its Series A investors include Genentech, Inc., Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and New Enterprise Associates. More information is available at www.23andMe.com.
23andMe was recently selected as a 2008 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, and will be participating in the 2008 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting from January 23-28, 2008 in Davos, Switzerland.
23andMe and Personal Genome Service are trademarks of 23andMe, Inc. All other marks belong to their respective owners.
Media Contacts
Paul Kranhold/Elizabeth Hanahan
Sard Verbinnen & Co
(415) 618-8750
press@23andMe.com
Clare Gayner
Bite Communications
+44 (0)20 8741 1123
press@23andMe.com