From bench to bedside: an innovation from the CRCL moves into the E-FACToR clinical trial phase

Publié le 10/07/2026

The Lyon-based startup Sirius Neosight, in partnership with the Centre Léon Bérard, has launched the E-FACToR clinical study.
The goal is to better predict patients’ responses to cancer treatments through the analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) obtained from a simple blood sample. This breakthrough is based on a scientific innovation stemming from academic research conducted in part at the Cancer Research Center of Lyon, illustrating the center’s ability to translate fundamental discoveries into tangible solutions that benefit patients.

Precision medicine aims to provide each patient with the treatment best suited to their tumor. However, it remains difficult to accurately predict which patients will respond to specific chemotherapies or targeted therapies. To address this challenge, Sirius Neosight and the Centre Léon Bérard have launched the E-FACToR clinical study, which will involve 300 patients with breast, ovarian, prostate, or pancreatic cancers.

An Innovative Technology Based on the Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells

The technology developed by Sirius Neosight enables the highly sensitive detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs)—tumor-derived cells that are present in the bloodstream in extremely small numbers. From a simple blood sample, these cells can be isolated and expanded to generate living three-dimensional replicas of the tumor, known as “tumor twins.”

These biological models make it possible to directly observe the behavior of a patient’s cancer cells and their response to different treatments.

Unlike more traditional approaches based on the genetic characteristics of tumors, this strategy provides a functional and dynamic assessment of the disease, closely reflecting the patient’s biological reality.

A Clinical Study to Better Predict Treatment Response

The E-FACToR study aims to better understand why some patients respond to certain treatments—particularly chemotherapies—while others derive little or no benefit from them.

Using tumor twins generated from each patient’s circulating tumor cells, the study will evaluate the ability of cancer cells to repair their DNA, a key indicator of treatment sensitivity.

The objective is to determine whether this functional analysis can predict treatment efficacy and thereby improve the personalization of therapeutic strategies.

Coordinated by the teams at the Centre Léon Bérard, E-FACToR combines clinical expertise, translational research, and technological innovation in an approach that could open new perspectives for the monitoring and management of patients with advanced cancers.

Illustrating the Impact of CRCL Research

The launch of this study also provides a concrete example of successful knowledge transfer between academic research and biomedical innovation. By contributing to the emergence of the scientific concepts that led to the creation of Sirius Neosight, CRCL researchers are helping to advance new approaches to personalized medicine that have the potential to transform patient care.

This momentum reflects the mission of the Cancer Research Center of Lyon: to generate fundamental knowledge about the biological mechanisms of cancer and to foster its translation into therapeutic innovations for the benefit of patients.