Cellectis to cut 70% of staff as it abandons CAR-T for in vivo gene editing

Key points

• Cellectis announced a strategic pivot in September 2026, discontinuing its allogeneic CAR-T programs lasme-cel and eti-cel to focus on in vivo gene editing.
• The company expects to reduce its global headcount by up to 70% from pre-transition levels over 2026 and 2027, subject to French and U.S. labor law compliance.
• New pipeline candidates include HEAL-101, an in vivo base editing therapy targeting APOC3, and HEAL-201, an epigenetic editing therapy targeting PCSK9.
• Preclinical data presented at the European Society of Cell and Gene Therapy showed HEAL-101 achieved up to 70% editing rates in humanized liver models.
• Cellectis reported a net loss of $101.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, compared to $41.3 million in the same period of 2025.
• The company holds $149 million in cash and fixed-term deposits, which it believes will fund operations into the second half of 2028.

Background

This restructuring follows a broader industry trend where biotech firms are shifting away from allogeneic cell therapies toward in vivo approaches. In 2025, Gilead Sciences' Kite Pharma abandoned a $2.3 billion deal with Shoreline Biosciences to invest in in vivo technologies. Other major acquisitions in the space include AbbVie's $2.1 billion purchase of Capstan Therapeutics and Bristol Myers Squibb's $1.5 billion acquisition of Orbital Therapeutics. Cellectis had previously entered 2026 with 229 employees across facilities in Paris, New York, and Raleigh, North Carolina.

How outlets are covering it

Fierce Biotech highlights the drastic nature of the workforce reduction, noting that 70% of employees may lose their jobs as part of the pivot. The Daily Tribune News provides detailed financial metrics, emphasizing the $101.1 million net loss and the specific preclinical data supporting the new candidates. Stock Titan focuses on the financial implications, noting the $26.8 million impairment loss and the decline in revenue from $62.6 million to $14.8 million over the nine-month period. All sources agree on the strategic shift but differ in emphasis: Fierce focuses on the human impact, while the financial sources focus on the economic consequences and pipeline potential.

Why it matters

The move signals a significant shift in the biotech industry's focus from complex cell therapies to simpler in vivo gene editing approaches. The substantial workforce reduction and financial losses highlight the risks associated with pivoting from late-stage clinical programs to preclinical candidates. Investors and industry observers will watch whether Cellectis can successfully transition its business model and achieve clinical milestones for HEAL-101 and HEAL-201 within its projected cash runway.

What to watch

Cellectis aims to initiate an investigator-initiated trial for HEAL-101 in China in the second half of 2027. A separate Phase 1 study for HEAL-201 is expected to begin in China in 2028. The company must complete the French works council consultation process and comply with labor laws to finalize the workforce reductions. Continued monitoring of treated patients from the discontinued lasme-cel and eti-cel programs will also be required.