CellAction, a unique laboratory for access to cell and gene therapies

Cell and gene therapies, most notably CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cells) cells, are becoming increasingly important in cancer treatment. They are already part of the therapeutic arsenal against certain hematological cancers, and the international scientific and medical community is exploring more effective strategies and a wider range of indications, including solid tumors. These are also the objectives of CellAction (Cell Therapy Acceleration and Innovation), the brand-new platform of the Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster (PSCC) at Institut Curie.

Unprecedented in France, CellAction enables collaborative projects to be launched with industrial partners on a national and international scale. Its goal is to accelerate research and development into cell and gene therapies by promoting an integrated approach to reduce transfer times for these complex therapies.

A comprehensive offering: from research to the development of innovative medicines 

CellAction is co-directed by Dr. Marion Alcantara, hematologist and researcher at Institut Curie, and Dr. Sebastian Amigorena, CNRS research director and team leader of the Immunity and Cancer unit (Inserm U932) at Institut Curie. CellAction is thus founded on the centralization of key expertise required for the drug development process: Institut Curie's highly qualified medical-scientific teams, cutting-edge technologies for in vitro and in vivo testing, and experienced advisors on business development and processes. 

This integrated structure enables us to launch development projects for innovative cell and gene therapies, from basic research through to transfer to the clinic and delivery to patients.

Unique medical and scientific expertise

The facility boasts a wealth of expertise to support and monitor all types of project: target discovery and validation, cell engineering, in vitro and in vivo proof-of-concept, pre-clinical research... right through to a ready-to-manufacture product. The expertise of CellAction's teams enables us to carry out the most innovative projects involving all forms of cell and gene therapie: autologous, allogeneic and in vivo delivery.

Expertise in molecular biology, biochemistry and cellular engineering

• Design of genetically modified immune cells
• Molecular biology and biochemistry (cloning, western blot, qPCR, digital PCR, ChIP-seq)
• Genome editing (CRISPR/Cas9, base editing, shRNA, knock-in)
• Avidity and cytotoxicity measurements
• Generation of stable cell lines (reporter, KO/KI/KD)
• scRNAseq, scATACseq, TCR/BCRseq and multiome 

Expertise in cellular biology and functional testing

• 2D/3D Functional relationships
• Spectral flow cytometry (>30 colors)
• Xenograft and syngeneic tumor models
• Imaging (bioluminescence and fluorescence)
• Stereotactic neurosurgery

State-of-the-art equipment 

Today based in Suresnes and moving permanently to Institut Curie's Saint-Cloud site in 2025, CellAction brings together nearly 4 million euros worth of cutting-edge, ultra-high-performance equipment that is unique in France: 

• Spectral cytometers (Cytek)
• Single-cell omics (10X Genomics)
• Real-time microscopy (Agilent)
• Z-Movi (Lumicks)
• CliniMacs® Prodigy (Miltenyi)
• Electroporator Prodigy (Miltenyi)
• Electroporator MaxCyte

Towards innovative clinical trials 

At the same time, CellAction initiates and participates in cutting-edge clinical trials for innovation in immunotherapy. In particular, the platform is part of the "Tumor microenvironment, immunology and cellular therapies" program of the Curie 2030 scientific project.

Thanks to the platform, Institut Curie’s EpCART University Hospital Research (RHU) project is taking a decisive step forward, with an early-phase clinical trial scheduled for 2026. This project is based on the groundbreaking work of Dr. Sebastian Amigorena, carried out in collaboration with Institut Curie teams over several years: by inhibiting certain enzymes responsible for epigenetic modifications, the researchers have shown that it is possible to make CAR-T cells more effective and eliminate tumor cells sustainably. This epigenetic reprogramming opens a promising avenue for treating difficult-to-treat cancers.

Other projects are also under evaluation, including a project to improve the short-term efficacy and long-term persistence of anti-GD2 CAR-T cells to overcome therapeutic limitations in high-risk pediatric neuroblastoma, research projects on allogeneic CAR-T cells and in vivo delivery work.