How cells taken from decades-old fetal tissue are used in Covid-19 drug research
An experimental monoclonal antibody cocktail made by Regeneron and hailed by President Donald Trump as a “cure” was tested on cells derived, long ago, from fetal tissue — research for which Trump’s own administration drastically slashed funding just last year.
Trump received an intravenous infusion of the antibodies from the drug company last week as part of his treatment for the illness.
In a statement to NBC News, Regeneron spokesperson Alexandra Bowie said that the company used cells from a cell line called HEK293T. These cells date back to the 1970s and were originally taken from kidney cells in donated fetal tissue. Since then, the cells have become commonplace in research labs, thanks in part to the fact that they can replicate indefinitely, ensuring they never run out. Because of this, the cells are considered “immortalized.”
“HEK293T wasn’t used in any other way, and fetal tissue was not used in this research,” Bowie said. “We did not use human stem cells or human embryonic stem cells in the development of” the monoclonal antibody cocktail.
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https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/how-cells-taken-decades-old-fetal-tissue-are-used-covid-n1242740