Pfizer, 23andMe To Study Genetic Basis of Bowel Disease

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is teaming up with DNA testing company 23andMe to study Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

The personal genetics company announced Tuesday that the companies will enrol as many as 10,000 people to study the genetic basis of the disease.

"We are excited to team up with Pfizer to take an innovative, consumer-centered approach to try to understand the fundamentals of inflammatory bowel disease and the variability of treatment response," said 23andMe CEO and Co-Founder Anne Wojcicki, according to a news release.

Around 1.4 million people in the U.S suffer from IBD, says Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   Nobody knows what causes the disease and there is yet no cure.

23andMe said that the participants of the study will receive 23andMe's Personal Genome Service® for free and an access to their genetic data. People wishing to take part in the study will need to provide DNA sample, answer online surveys and share their genetic data with researchers. Only residents of United States can take part in the study.

"Pfizer is committed to bringing forward new treatments for patients suffering with IBD," said Jose Carlos Gutierrez-Ramos, Senior Vice President, Biotherapeutics Research and Development, Pfizer. "By enhancing our understanding of the underlying biology of the disease, we hope to better support our clinical research activities and development programs."

The collaboration with drugmaker giant Pfizer will push 23andMe into mainstream medical research, according to Associated Press. Last year, the U.S Food and Drug Administration had asked the personal genetics company to stop marketing its tests to the general public, saying that these exams result in unnecessary medical costs.