Even though Regeneron’s experimental COVID-19 drug, REGN-COV2, got its start with cells derived from a human fetal cell line, the company says it doesn’t consider the treatment as one relying on fetal tissue.
The HEK293T “immortalized” cell lines were acquired from an aborted fetus so long ago — the 1970s — and have been divided and grown in cultures so many times that they’re simply considered “a tool” for research, the company told ABC News.
Specifically, REGN-COV2 is made with mouse and hamster cells, and the HEK293T cells are used to test the drug’s ability to neutralize the virus. The company didn’t use any human or embryonic stem cells and the cell line "wasn't used in any other way … fetal tissue was not used in this research," Regeneron said.
Still, the use of the old cell line to test the drug’s efficacy hasn’t escaped news or social media, which are pointing out that the current administration has adamantly opposed the use of aborted fetal tissue for research of any kind.
SOURCES:
ABC News October 9, 2020
NBC News October 9, 2020
Vice October 13, 2020