Trogenix Unveils Revolutionary Platform to Transform Cancer
Trogenix Ltd today emerged from stealth mode to unveil its groundbreaking therapeutic platform for treating aggressive cancers. Built from inception by 4BIO Capital, which specialises in creating breakthrough therapeutic companies, Trogenix spun out from the University of Edinburgh in 2023 and raised a seed financing round earlier this year. Leading life science and deep tech investors IQ Capital, Cancer Research Horizons, the US National Brain Tumor Society’s Brain Tumor Investment Fund, AIN Ventures and the University of Edinburgh’s venture investment fund, Old College Capital, have also invested in Trogenix.
"Cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide, with current therapies often falling short, especially for aggressive solid tumours," said Dr Ken Macnamara, Chief Executive Officer of Trogenix. "We founded Trogenix to transform cancer treatment from chronic disease management to potentially curative one-time treatments. Our Synthetic Super-Enhancer technology represents a significant breakthrough in precision cancer therapy, offering unprecedented selectivity in targeting cancer cells and activating the body's own immune system against tumours, all while leaving healthy cells untouched."
The company's lead programme targets glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive form of brain cancer, where only 25% of patients survive beyond one year. Preclinical studies have demonstrated curative responses with no toxicity and evidence of persistent anti-tumour immunity, with Phase 1/2 clinical trials planned for 2025.
"Trogenix exemplifies our approach to advancing revolutionary therapeutic platforms from concept to reality," said Dmitry (Dima) Kuzmin, Managing Partner at 4BIO Capital and Founding Chairman of Trogenix. "By combining our deep expertise in advanced therapies with the company's breakthrough science, we've helped shape a platform with the potential to
fundamentally change cancer treatment. The convergence of synthetic biology, machine learning, gene therapy, and precision targeting in Trogenix's technology represents exactly the kind of innovation needed to deliver next-generation curative treatments. Being able to discern a cancer cell in situ from a healthy cell without relying on a surface antigen is truly revolutionary."
The company's proprietary Synthetic Super-Enhancers (SSEs) are engineered DNA elements that act as docking stations for transcription factors uniquely expressed in aggressive cancer cells. This enables highly selective and potent gene control with multiple layers of safety, including direct tumour injection for localised delivery and self-limiting control mechanisms.
Through these SSEs, Trogenix's Odysseus platform delivers a comprehensive attack on cancer through controlled cell killing via targeted expression of cytotoxic payloads, immune modulation to overcome tumour-induced immunosuppression, and a unique ‘Trojan Horse’ approach that reawakens the immune system to provide long-term protection against recurrence.
World-Class Leadership Team
Trogenix emerged from groundbreaking research at the University of Edinburgh - including its UK Centre for Mammalian Synthetic Biology and Institute for Regeneration and Repair - and the Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre. The company was co-founded by Professor Steve Pollard, a renowned authority in regenerative medicine and cancer biology, who serves as Chief Scientific Officer. Under his leadership, the company has rapidly advanced its revolutionary SSE platform from concept to preclinical proof-of-concept. Chief Executive Officer Dr Ken Macnamara brings extensive leadership experience in gene therapy and biotech, including senior roles at AskBio (a Bayer company), and involvement in three successful M&A exits.
"Our Odysseus platform represents a significant advancement in cancer treatment," said Professor Steve Pollard, Chief Scientific Officer of Trogenix. "By precisely targeting cancer cell states rather than just cell types, we can achieve unprecedented selectivity while activating the body's own immune system against the tumour. Our preclinical studies in glioblastoma have demonstrated complete responses with no toxicity and evidence of persistent anti-tumour immunity."
Beyond GBM, Trogenix is advancing programmes in colorectal cancer liver metastases, hepatocellular carcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma, and regenerative medicine, with the goal of submitting five Investigational New Drug (IND) applications in five years.
For more information, visit www.trogenixbio.com