Novartis settles with Henrietta Lacks' estate over use of her cells.

Novartis reached an undisclosed settlement with the estate of Henrietta Lacks in federal court, resolving a 2024 lawsuit that alleged cells taken without Lacks' knowledge in 1951 were commercialized.

Novartis has reached a settlement with the estate of Henrietta Lacks over a 2024 lawsuit. The agreement was finalized in federal court in Maryland and the parties have not released its terms. The suit alleged that cells taken from Lacks without her knowledge in 1951 were commercialized by companies using the HeLa cell line. HeLa cells have been widely used in research and contributed to many medical advances. Key facts: - The 2024 complaint sought Novartis' net profits from commercializing the HeLa cell line and described the cells as taken without Lacks' consent. - Novartis and the Lacks family issued a joint statement saying they were pleased to resolve the matter outside of court; settlement terms were not disclosed. - Johns Hopkins has said it never sold or profited from the HeLa cell lines, while companies have patented methods using those cells. - The estate reached an earlier undisclosed settlement in 2023 with Thermo Fisher, and separate lawsuits against companies such as Ultragenyx and Viatris remain active. Summary: The settlement ends litigation between Novartis and the Lacks estate but does not disclose the agreement's terms. It follows an earlier undisclosed settlement with Thermo Fisher and comes amid other active lawsuits by the estate. Next procedural steps for the Novartis matter are undetermined at this time.