Cellectis to Cut 70% of Workforce in Shift to In Vivo Therapies
By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD ·
Cellectis, a biotechnology company focused on gene-edited cell therapies, announced plans to reduce approximately 70% of its workforce. The layoffs are part of a strategic pivot away from allogeneic CAR-T therapies toward in vivo treatment approaches.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees affected or a timeline for the reductions. The restructuring marks a significant shift in Cellectis’ research and development priorities, moving from ex vivo cell engineering to direct in vivo gene editing.
Context
This workforce reduction reflects a broader trend in cell and gene therapy development. Allogeneic CAR-T therapies, which use donor cells engineered to attack cancer, have faced challenges including manufacturing complexity, immune rejection, and high costs. In vivo approaches aim to deliver gene-editing tools directly into a patient’s body, potentially simplifying production and expanding treatable diseases. The pivot highlights the financial pressures on biotech companies to concentrate resources on the most promising platforms, often at the expense of earlier-stage programs and staff.
Source: original report