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Viatris settles lawsuit over use of woman's 'immortal' cells to power drug research
Reuters· 2026-03-12 15:11
Core Viewpoint - Viatris has settled a lawsuit with the estate of Henrietta Lacks regarding the unauthorized use of her cells for drug research, with the case being dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled [1] Company Summary - Viatris, a generic drugmaker, faced allegations from Lacks' estate for misusing her cells to test its herpes drug Denavir and depression treatment Mylan-Mirtazapine [1] - The settlement details remain confidential, and Viatris did not respond to the allegations in court [1] Industry Context - The HeLa cell line, derived from Henrietta Lacks' tumor, has been pivotal in medical research, contributing to advancements in various fields including the polio vaccine and HIV treatments [1] - Lacks' family has previously settled lawsuits with other companies, including Novartis and Thermo Fisher, and continues to pursue legal action against Ultragenyx [1]