The French immunology cluster
Fruit of 40 years of research and innovation in immunology, the Marseille Immunopôle (MI) cluster is exclusively dedicated to the research and development of the two weapons poised to revolutionize the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases: immunotherapy antibodies and cell therapies. At the crossroads of talents, technologies and application fields, more than 2,000 researchers, clinicians, engineers and industrials are working together to accelerate the development of these treatments, facilitate patients’ access to these innovations and position the metropolis at the heart of global competition.
MI brings together a unique continuum of excellence ranging from targets discovery to the clinical development of drug candidates: Aix-Marseille University (AMU), CNRS, Inserm, 4 research centres (CIML, SIRIC, VRCM et LAI), 6 technological innovation centres (CIPHE, MI-mAbs, TAGC, CRB, CRO2, Cell Therapy Laboratory), 4 hospitals (3 University Hospital Centres of the AP-HM and the IPC), the Eurobiomed cluster and industrials, first and foremost, Innate Pharma and HalioDx.
MI is also the fruit of an ambitious territorial strategy that has already given rise to one of the leading European health clusters (2006), the world first Francophone University (2012) and the Greater Aix-Marseille-Provence (2013). The goal this time is to place France at the forefront of the high-growth immunotherapy market. Supported by the public authorities and innovation actors of the territory (the Provence-Alpes Côte d’Azur Région, the Departmental Council of Bouches-du-Rhône, Greater Aix-Marseille-Provence, the City of Marseille, Marseille Provence CCI, Caisse des Dépôts, Regional Agency for Innovation and Internationalisation of Enterprises and Provence Promotion), the Public Investment Bank d’Investissement, the Commissariat General for Investment and the Departmental Committee of the French League against Cancer, MI was selected in 2014 amongst the 34 projects of the MI Industry for the future program of the French Government.
In 2015, MI created MI-FHU. Labelled by the French National Alliance for Life and Health Sciences (AVIESAN), this new University-Hospital Federation leads the collaborative R&D projects and education programs of the cluster.
5 main axes :
- Fundamental and translational research
- Education and training
- Technologies
- Early-phase clinical trials and patient care
- Industry and associated subcontractors network