23andMe, one of Google's initial genetic experiments, has been successful - here's what will determine its future.

• In 2013, when the first Disruptor 50 list was published and 23andMe made the list, the company had already raised over $50 million from investors.
• Nearly 12 million people have had their DNA sequenced by 23andMe, with 80% of them opting in to research that could lead to new drug discoveries.
• 23andMe's initial disruption in the genomic sequencing market has led to a 99.99% reduction in the cost of sequencing in just 16 years. However, for 23andMe to achieve sustained profitability, it must focus on using its technology to power drug discovery.

CNBC examines the progress of companies on the Disruptor 50 list, 10 years after their initial recognition.

In 2006, the estimated cost of sequencing a single human genome was about $14 million. However, in the same year, Anne Wojcicki and her co-founders Linda Avey and Paul Cuszena launched a company that aimed to offer direct-to-consumer genetic sequencing for as little as $99.

The company stands out as an example of many of the traits we’ve seen in the most disruptive companies over the last decade, including building a strong consumer brand, fighting off regulatory challenges, partnering with incumbents, and utilizing special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) to reach the public markets. It's a great company to feature in our year-long look back at the inaugural Disruptor 50 list.

In 2013, when the first Disruptor 50 list was published and 23andMe made the cut, the company had already raised over $50 million in funding from investors such as Genentech, New Enterprise Associates, and Wojcicki's sister, Susan, who was an early Google employee and CEO of YouTube. At the time, Anne Wojcicki was married to Google founder Sergey Brin. Consumers were drawn to the product, demonstrating both interest in learning about their ancestry and health, and a willingness to pay for it.

In October 2013, the FDA halted 23andMe's ability to make health-related claims, which slowed its growth and put it in competition with genealogy-focused companies. The FDA reviewed 23andMe's health data for two years before approving it in October 2015, allowing for a period of rapid expansion.

23andMe's absence from the Disruptor 50 list was cleared after two years, and it ranked fifth on the 2016 list. During this time, it achieved "unicorn" status, formed a partnership with a pharmaceutical company to use genetic data to create new drugs, and personal DNA testing became a cultural phenomenon. The number of people who took 23andMe's test increased from 2017 to 2019, thanks to marketing efforts such as a commercial featuring billionaire investor Warren Buffett.

Nearly 12 million people have had their DNA sequenced by 23andMe, with 80% of them opting in to research that could lead to new drug discoveries and more. This is its promise as a publicly traded company. In June, 23andMe completed a merger with VG Acquisition Corp, a SPAC backed by Sir Richard Branson. However, the stock has lost more than half its value since it began trading under the ticker symbol “ME.”

23andMe, like many Disruptor 50 companies, must now convince investors to believe in its next move: driving drug discovery for sustained profitability. Although the cost of genomic sequencing has fallen by 99.99% in 16 years due to 23andMe's initial disruption, the company's future success depends on its ability to power drug discovery.

Earlier this month, the deal with GlaxoSmithKline was renewed for another year. According to a release from GSK, genetically validated drug targets have a "at least double the probability of success" in becoming medicines.

Wojcicki stated in a CNBC interview that the company aims to provide a personalized health-care experience for its customers while also benefiting the human genome through the use of aggregated data to develop therapeutic programs. In the next five years, the focus will be on moving these programs forward and bringing them into clinical use.