Cellectis drops its allogeneic CAR-T candidates lasme-cel and eti-cel amid rising competition from in-vivo therapies

Cellectis announced it is terminating development of its two allogeneic CAR-T programs, lasme-cel for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and eti-cel for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The move reflects a shift in the treatment landscape, where newer frontline regimens have lowered relapse rates and reduced the number of patients progressing to later‑line therapies.

Meanwhile, the rapid emergence of bispecific antibodies and in-vivo CAR-T platforms has heightened competition in second and third‑line settings, prompting the company to reassess its strategy.

Cellectis said it remains convinced of the long‑term promise of allogeneic cell therapies but will redirect its focus toward other approaches.