Genetic testing company 23andMe’s bankruptcy filing in March looked like a glum end to a short, troubled life. The stock had crashed from a peak of $320 in 2021 to less than $2 in March. Losses were mounting, and cash was running out fast.

But the Chapter 11 process has brought a happy ending, at least for some. An auction of 23andMe’s assets has elicited a $256mn bid from US drugmaker Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. The agreement still needs to be approved by a bankruptcy court. Assuming it goes through, Regeneron will be the owner of assets including the genetic data from about 15mn people who have used its at-home DNA testing kit. (The figure, last reported in January, would have fallen since then as users look to delete their data following news of the company filing for bankruptcy).