23andMe Receives FDA Clearance for Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Test on a Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Syndrome
On January 22, 23andMe received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for a genetic health risk report on MUTYH-associated polyposis, a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome.
The clearance follows the FDA’s authorization for 23andMe’s BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) Genetic Health Risk report in March 2018. The new report was submitted to the FDA using the 510(k) submission pathway, enabled by the earlier decision on the BRCA report. These two reports are the only direct-to-consumer genetic health risk reports for inherited cancers that have been authorized or cleared by the FDA for use without prescription.
“We are committed to giving people affordable and direct access to important health information that can impact their lives,” said Anne Wojcicki, 23andMe CEO and cofounder. “We believe improved access to genetic testing and health information will help people engage in their own health.”
This report is not yet available, but as soon as it is ready for release, it will be offered to new 23andMe customers using the company’s Health + Ancestry service as well as existing Health + Ancestry customers who have been genotyped on the company’s most recent platforms. The FDA included both this report and 23andMe’s previously authorized BRCA1/BRCA2 report in a single regulation covering cancer predisposition risk-assessment systems.
Consumer Education
As with the BRCA1/BRCA2 report, Health + Ancestry customers must choose whether they want to receive this information. As with other 23andMe Genetic Health Risk reports, this one will also include an education module to ensure customers are informed on what they can learn from this report and how to interpret the results, as well as its limitations.
For example, information associated with this report will clearly state that hereditary colorectal cancers only account for about 5% of all colorectal cancer cases. Additionally, this report does not look at variants associated with Lynch syndrome, which is the most common form of inherited colorectal cancer. The two variants included account for the majority (approximately 80%–90%) of MUTYH variants in people of Northern European descent. However, more than 100 variants in the MUTYH gene are known to be linked to MUTYH-associated polyposis.
The two variants included in 23andMe’s MUTYH-Associated Polyposis Genetic Health Risk report are most prevalent in people with Northern European ancestry at between 1% and 2%. These variants have also been found in people of other ethnicities. Carrying both of these variants or having two copies of one of these variants increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer.
If left unchecked, carrying both of these variants or having two copies of one increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer to between 43% and 100%. The risk for those who have just one variant is uncertain; however, some studies suggest that the colorectal cancer risk may be slightly increased, particularly for those with a family history of colorectal cancer.
FDA 510(k) Pathway
The FDA clearance for 23andMe’s MUTYH-Associated Polyposis Genetic Health Risk report demonstrates substantial equivalence, through the FDA’s 510(k) pathway, to its predicate device 23andMe’s BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) Genetic Health Risk report. For this newest clearance, the MUTYH-associated polyposis report achieved greater than 99% accuracy and utilization of key informational concepts that achieved 90% or greater comprehension in a demographically diverse population.
The content in this post has not been reviewed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) and does not necessarily reflect the ideas and opinions of ASCO®.
