23andMe Judge Denies California Bid to Pause State Data Transfer

A bankruptcy judge who approved the sale of 23andMe’s vast genetic data assets rejected California’s request to pause the transaction while the state appeals the decision.

Judge Brian C. Walsh of the US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri found Monday that California’s appeal will likely fail on standing alone. He signed off June 27 on the $305 million sale to the nonprofit TTAM Research Institute, which bid in tandem with 23andMe’s co-founder, Anne Wojcicki.

“I don’t believe California has made a strong showing that it’s likely to succeed on merits,” Walsh said during a Monday court ...