Who we are

The field of regenerative medicine and cell and gene therapy is rapidly evolving thanks to the excellence in fundamental research and new front-line technologies. Collaboration and information sharing between researchers, regulators, funding agencies and industry is essential and requires a streamlined approach to conducting cell and gene therapy clinical trials. This requires a central hub of information for better implementation and an overall improvement to patient care.

CellCAN is a pan-Canadian not-for-profit organization established in 2014 as part of the Government of Canada’s Networks of Centers of Excellence.

Our mission is to improve the quality, safety and feasibility of cell and gene therapy in Canada through optimal manufacturing practices.

 CellCAN strives to fully exploit this potential by providing an unprecedented level of collaboration among all key players in the field of cell and gene therapy by bringing together Canada's leading cell manufacturing centers and transversal cores (manufacturing product characterization, bioengineering, ethical and legal regulatory policy) into a common seal of quality for the benefit of Canadian patients.

CellCAN is an industry-recognized leader with a proven track record in novel good manufacturing practices (GMP) training programs. Our biannual Strategic Forum, workshops at the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy and Till & McCulloch Meetings, and our 3-day cell and gene therapy (CGT) manufacturing course, the Hands-on GMP Workshop, have provided a foundation from which to launch a national Advanced Training Institute with a robust, standardized training curriculum. Highly qualified personnel in the CGT manufacturing sector will be able to attain certification of GMP skills to develop the talent force required to flourish our sector.

Our vision is that cell and gene therapy manufacturing in Canada should operate under a common seal of quality to increase capacity and rapidly and effectively migrate innovative treatment concepts into standard clinical practice.

Every day, revolutionary discoveries lead to clinical trials that are gradually making stem cell therapy a reality for patients who suffer from diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, eye diseases, and neurological disorders (see Latest therapies).

We have the opportunity to beat diseases that were once thought incurable thanks to the immense yet still under-exploited potential of stem cells.

CellCAN is also implementing platforms so that researchers, clinicians, granting bodies, industry stakeholders, charitable organizations, members of the government, patient representatives and the public can exchange knowledge, express their needs, and share their questions and even concerns.

For more information, see Our know-how.

CELLCAN at a glance

Date of incorporation: February 2014
NCE program: Knowledge Mobilization Network of Excellence of Excellence
Funding: 2,8 Millions (2014-2021)

Number of partners: 181
Partner contributions: $768 645

Headquarters: Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montreal, Quebec
CEO: Denis Claude-Roy
Board Chair: William Brock (Partner, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP / Survivor of acute myeloid leukemia and patient advocate)