Trogenix Raises £70M Series A to Advance AAV Gene Therapy Pipeline for Solid Tumors

Edinburgh-based biotech Trogenix, a spinout of the University of Edinburgh, has successfully closed a £70 million (~$95 million) Series A funding round. Led by IQ Capital, with participation from 4BIO Capital, Cancer Research Horizons, and Eli Lilly, the financing will accelerate the development of the company’s novel cancer therapies, driving its pipeline into clinical trials. The lead program targets glioblastoma (GBM), with a Phase I trial expected to begin dosing in early Q1 2026.

The Odysseus Platform: Precision AAV Delivery

Trogenix is leveraging its proprietary Odysseus platform to create precision therapeutics with “one and done” curative potential for aggressive, treatment-resistant solid tumors. The core of this approach lies in combining cancer cell killing with immune stimulation, delivered via a sophisticated “Trojan Horse” method using AAV vectors.

The key to this precision is the use of proprietary Synthetic Super Enhancers (SSEs). These SSEs act as intelligent switches that sense the severity of cancerous cell states, selectively activating the therapeutic payloads—including well-understood cytotoxic and immunotherapy payloads—delivered by the AAV vectors. Once the cancer cells are eliminated, the SSEs switch off, preserving healthy tissue and offering a significant advantage over conventional treatments.

The company’s lead candidate, TGX-007, for glioblastoma, uses AAV serotype 9, known for its ability to target the central nervous system (CNS). The AAV is further refined with a neuron-specific promoter to ensure the genetic medicine is localized to the brain, mitigating off-target effects.

Preclinical Success and Clinical Strategy

Preclinical testing of TGX-007, conducted using a large bio-bank of primary patient GBM cell lines, demonstrated exceptional results. Studies in models faithfully replicating human glioblastomas showed:

• Exquisite targeting of tumor cells, leaving surrounding healthy tissue untouched.

• Complete responses with no observed toxicity or relapse, even at lower doses.

• A lasting systemic immune response, suggesting curative potential.

The Phase I study, recruiting 15 patients for the AAV therapy, will assess safety and determine a dose for progression into Phase II. The study design is critical, administering the AAV treatment three weeks before standard-of-care (surgery, chemo-, and/or radiotherapy) to ensure patients have a functioning immune system—providing the best chance for the immunotherapy component to prevent tumor regrowth.

The investment from Cancer Research Horizons, its largest to date, validates the potential for this novel AAV approach to transform the prognosis for diseases like glioblastoma, where only a quarter of patients currently survive beyond one year.