The CIC-EC of Saint-Etienne was created in February 2003. The CIC is a structure accredited by INSERM. The major assignments entrusted were to develop the methodological aid and IT support to multicentric clinical trials and clinical epidemiological research taking on all or part of this research work. The CIC-EC was therefore aimed at clinical research development particularly within labelled teams of the CHU of Saint-Etienne. In 2008, the CIC-EC has been expanded to new fields of clinical research as cancer and vaccinology. The CIC-EC Vaccinology has been developed by the Pr. F. Lucht (medical doctor in infectious diseases) and the Dr. S. Paul (immunologist and expert in vaccinology). In 2009, the CIC-EC Vaccinology has been labelled by ANRS (French network for HIV vaccine research) and REIVAC (French network of clinical investigators in Vaccinology). The CIC has participated in more than 20 clinical trials in the field of vaccine development both with academic labs and companies. The expertise of the CIC-EC Vaccinology renamed as CIC1408 in 2013 is the evaluation of mucosal vaccines. In 2014, the REIVAC network has been labelled by the F-Crin network to develop excellence in the field of Vaccinology in Europe.

The CIC manages trials accepted by its technical committee, and primarily in line with the research areas defined by its steering committee:

• • A vascular and hemostasis theme including an antithrombotic and vascular diseases axis, a hemophilia – hemostasis axis and a neurovascular axis,

• • An immunology theme comprising a vaccinology axis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) axis and an inflammatory joint pathology axis,

• • A prevention theme including a prevention axis in oncology and a prevention and control of infections axis,

• • A general medicine theme.