On 14 January 2026, the 1st meeting of the COST Action CINNAMON (CA24115) – Connecting an INternational Network of Academic Manufacturers of ONcoimmunotherapies – took place in Barcelona, Spain, in a hybrid format.
The event gathered 40 on-site participants, including 11 invited speakers, and marked the official launch of this new European network coordinated by IDIBAPS. 

Building a European network for academic oncoimmunotherapies

CINNAMON is funded under COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), a European programme that supports interdisciplinary research and innovation networks. Over the next four years, the Action aims to strengthen collaboration among academic manufacturers of advanced cancer therapies, with a particular focus on CAR-T cell therapies.

Despite the transformative clinical impact of CAR-T therapies in lymphoid malignancies, major challenges remain: limited accessibility, high production costs, regulatory complexity, and unequal distribution of infrastructure and expertise across European countries. CINNAMON seeks to address these barriers by fostering knowledge exchange, harmonisation of practices, and capacity building, especially in Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITCs).

The Action is coordinated by Julio Delgado, Head of the Oncoimmunotherapy Unit at Hospital Clínic and researcher in the Lymphoid Neoplasms group at IDIBAPS.

Currently, CINNAMON brings together more tan 150 members from european countries and neighbouring countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt.

Defining strategic priorities

The kick-off meeting, held at the Esther Koplowitz Centre in Barcelona, defined the Action’s strategic lines and working structure. Discussions focused on key topics such as:

  • Regulatory pathways for Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs)

  • Clinical research integration

  • Patient engagement and public awareness

  • Communication and dissemination strategies

Scientific programme highlights

The inaugural meeting featured a multidisciplinary programme covering scientific, regulatory, clinical and societal perspectives:

  • Building bridges across researchers to improve patient outcomes – Carmen Sanges

  • Bridging research programs from idea to clinical reality in academic hospitals – Ander Izeta

  • The mixed academic/pharmaceutical approach to ATMP development – Andrea Comella

  • Access to ATMPs in the Fertile Crescent – Imad Treish

  • How to set up a new ATMP facility – Concetta Quintarelli

  • The clinical impact of CAR-T cells – Marta Coscia

  • CAR-T cells in pediatric hematological malignancies – Jordi Minguillón

  • Understanding regulators to accelerate patient access – Nina Worel

  • Engaging patients for better products – Natacha Bolaños

  • CINNAMON’s communication strategy – Maria Klapa

Together, these contributions reflected the Action’s commitment to bridging research, clinical implementation, regulatory science, and patient engagement in the field of academic oncoimmunotherapies.