In December 2009 we introduced, for a limited time only, a service that enabled existing 23andMe customers to upload their data into deCODEme and thereby enjoy the best in personal genomics. This service has been well-received and we greatly appreciate all the positive and enthusiastic comments from our new users.

We now announce the closing of this service on February 1st 2010. However, accounts of users who upload their data prior to February 1st will remain open. So spread the word to 23andMe customers who have not yet migrated to deCODEme.

And the amazing thing is…it’s free!

Starting on Thursday November 19th , we will begin offering our service as two distinct products to better meet the needs of our customers:  The 23andMe Ancestry Edition and The 23andMe Health Edition.  If you are interested in both the ancestry and the health aspects of your genetics, you’ll have the option of purchasing the combined 23andMe Complete Edition.

If you act quickly you can get our Personal Genome Service, which will automatically be converted to the Complete Edition, for the lower price of $399.

Here are the new prices:

• Ancestry Edition – $399
• Health Edition – $429
• Complete Edition – $499

So you have four days to grab the Complete Edition at the lower price.

Read some interesting analysis of this decision at Genetic Future,  Genomics Law Report, and The Gene Sherpa.

Hat tip to The Genetic Genealogist.

Sequencing giant Illumina has announced that it has delivered its first commercial personal genome sequence. The sequence was generated by the genome sequencing service launched by Illumina back in June, and was delivered in collaboration with new personal genomics company Pathway Genomics. Illumina’s genome sequencing service costs $48,000, and its first customer was entrepreneur Hermann Hauser.

……..

It’s … a shot across the bow for Complete Genomics, a company that just raised $45M to build a genome sequencing facility in Silicon Valley. Complete will be offering genome sequences for an order of magnitude less (around $5,000).

• Deep Clade Sale – expires Sept 4.  If you don’t know what a deep clade is, don’t worry. Only hardcore genetic genealogists are going to use it. However, if you are interested, click here for more information.
• Discount on the National Genographic Project. Click here to purchase a Genographic Public Participation Kit and receive 10% off the retail price from today through September 15, 2009. Or use discount code GENHUFA09 at checkout at the National Geographic online store only.

Quotes from the article:

Anyone aged over 16 will be able to walk in off the street and buy the kits at any one of up to 50 independent chemists around Britain.

The kits will include three mouth swab tests to be used on a mother, child and a man who might be the father.

The samples can then be posted back to the firm along with a lab fee of £129 to pay for testing to establish if the two adults are the parents of the child.

Read the entire article at the Mail Online.

Sure, it’s great if you have a lab handy, but for the rest of us, it’s not such big news, now that Knome is offering to sequence all your genes for as little as $19,500, and your entire genome for $99,500.