23andMe CEO Wojcicki is open to third-party takeover proposals for the firm, Reuters filing shows

(Reuters) – 23andMe co-founder and chief executive Anne Wojcicki is said to be open to considering third-party takeover proposals for the company, a regulatory filing showed on Wednesday.

Shares of the genetic testing company rose 2.8 percent to $0.31 in extended trading.

In July, Wojcicki, who has been trying to take the company private, proposed to buy all of 23andMe’s outstanding shares not held by its affiliates for $0.40 per share.

The filing also said the CEO continues to evaluate and negotiate a deal.

A special committee formed by the company rejected Wojcicki’s previous proposal, deeming it insufficient and not in the interests of unaffiliated shareholders.

Other alternatives will be pursued to maximize shareholder value in the absence of a revised offer, the committee said last month.

23andMe, best known for saliva-based testing kits that give users a glimpse of their genetic ancestry, went public in 2021.