The first chimeric antigen T-Cell Therapy (CAR-T) therapies were approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017–these were heralded as “cures” for blood-borne cancers such as acute myeloid leukemia and aggressive non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Here, we have Simon Harnest, the Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Finance of Cellectis (CLLS), unpacking where cell therapy is headed towards. Cellectis is the first company  to envision an “off-the-shelf” approach to CAR-T therapy. Previous methods required long manufacturing times and complex methodologies to create a single treatment for a patient.

In this episode, Simon guides us through the complexities of creating an allogeneic approach for developing CAR-T therapies, especially for solid tumors, and addresses why Cellectis is up for the challenge. He also addresses the discrepancy between current valuations of Cellectis and competitor, Allogene who happens to license from Cellectis.

This podcast is for anyone interested in learning about the nitty gritty of next generation cancer care from the bottom-up perspective.