Knome is the Cambridge, Mass personal genomics company which will whole-sequence consumer genomes for $350,000 USD (223,000 EUR). By comparison, competing personal genomic companies like deCODEme, 23andme, and Navigenics only test for a tiny fraction of known SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) for between $1000 and $2500. The difference is like buying a complete dictionary of the human language and buying every thousandth letter of that dictionary.

What does $350,000 buy?

According to the informational email sent by Knome, the service begins with a personal visit by a physician to collect a blood sample and a 50% deposit to begin sequencing. A further 30% is due on sequence completion and the remaining 20% due on delivery of your personal genome sequence report and analysis. The service then includes up to 20 hours of private consultation with Knome-board certified genetic counselors to review your results and analysis.

Knome also invites customers to share their anonymous sequences with the genomic research community, though this personal scientific contribution (unlike competing services like 23andme) is optional.

In all, the amount of actionable medical information purchased by both Knome’s complete sequence and competing SNP chip services like deCODEme are comparable, though Knome costs more and provides more raw data. Clearly, at even $1000 (and especially at $350,000), the today’s personal genomics industry is more about seizing the early-sequencing market rather than providing a widely-available, invaluable medical service. However, I actively encourage anyone with $350,000 to spend to buy Knome’s service as this revenue will directly fund the personal genomic market, eventually bringing prices down to the general consumer, and science up to what’s medically invaluable.