Edinburgh, UK | May 28, 2026
Clinical-stage oncology company Trogenix announced the first patient has been dosed in the Phase I/II ADePT clinical trial evaluating TGX-007, the company’s proprietary dual-payload AAV-based gene therapy for glioblastoma (GBM). The study is being conducted at NHS Lothian in the UK and Ohio State University Hospital in the United States, targeting patients with newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM, one of the deadliest and most treatment-resistant brain cancers. The milestone marks Trogenix’s transition into clinical-stage development for its programmable immunotherapy platform and advances its broader ambition to deliver a potentially transformative “one-time” treatment for multiple solid tumors.
TGX-007 Uses Synthetic Super-Enhancer Technology for Precision Tumor Targeting
TGX-007 is built on Trogenix’s proprietary Synthetic Super-Enhancer (SSE) platform, designed to selectively activate therapeutic immune payloads inside tumor cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Delivered through an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector, the therapy combines two immune-activating payloads into a single treatment aimed at directly killing tumor cells and triggering a durable anti-cancer immune response. According to the company, the therapy functions like an “in-situ vaccination,” potentially offering long-term protection after a single administration. The ADePT trial will evaluate biological activity, safety, tumor selectivity, immune activation, and overall survival to determine the optimal biological dose and establish early proof-of-concept data in GBM patients.
Early Preclinical Results Showed Tumor Eradication Without Toxicity
The clinical trial launch follows publication of preclinical data in Nature in April 2026, where a single dose of the SSE-based therapy achieved complete tumor eradication in 83% of treated cases in aggressive glioblastoma models closely resembling human disease. Researchers also reported no detectable toxicity over an 11-month observation period and no evidence of tumor recurrence. Chief Investigator Dr. Faye Robertson of the University of Edinburgh described the start of the trial as a major milestone for patients with significant unmet medical need, noting that TGX-007 was engineered to deliver highly precise therapeutic payloads directly into glioblastoma cells while sparing surrounding healthy brain tissue. The company believes successful clinical validation could accelerate development across colorectal, liver, and lung cancers.
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Trogenix Expands Clinical Oncology Ambitions Following Major Funding Round
Founded in 2023 from research led by Professor Steve Pollard at the University of Edinburgh and the Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Trogenix is developing a pipeline of programmable cancer immunotherapies through its Odysseus® platform. In October 2025, the company secured a £70 million ($95 million) Series A financing round led by IQ Capital with participation from Eli Lilly and Company and other investors to accelerate clinical development of its solid tumor pipeline. Chief Executive Officer Ken Macnamara said the ADePT trial could establish the foundation for a new treatment paradigm using precision-controlled gene therapies capable of delivering durable anti-tumor activity through a single administration. Initial clinical findings from the study are expected to provide important insights into the broader potential of TGX-007 across multiple aggressive cancers.
Source: Trogenix press release
