Edinburgh-based Trogenix, which develops precision therapies for aggressive, treatment-resistant cancers, has secured $95 million in a Series A round led by IQ Capital. The funding will accelerate the company’s pipeline of potentially curative therapies for aggressive solid tumors into clinical trials.
- Established in 2023 by Professor Steve Pollard, Trogenix is a biotech company developing precision therapies for aggressive, treatment-resistant cancers. The firm’s lead technology, the Odysseus® platform, uses Synthetic Super-Enhancers (SSEs) delivered via AAV vectors to selectively activate therapeutic genes in cancer cells.
- These SSEs control two payloads: a cytotoxic enzyme that kills tumor cells and an immune-stimulating cytokine that activates the patient’s immune system. The approach allows targeted elimination of cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue and aims to provide long-term protection against tumor recurrence.
- Trogenix’s lead programs focus on glioblastoma and colorectal cancer liver metastases, with additional development in liver and lung cancers.
Details of the deal
- The Series A was led by IQ Capital, a UK-based deep tech venture capital firm investing in disruptive startups, having raised over £300M and achieved 20 exits.
- The funding round also saw support from 4BIO Capital, Cancer Research Horizons, the Brain Tumor Investment Fund, Eli Lilly, Meltwind, LongeVC, Calculus Capital, and other private investors.
“Our outsized investment in Trogenix in today’s selective funding landscape reflects our confidence in the company’s world-leading science, exceptional management team and a clear roadmap for delivery both in the clinic and commercially. We are particularly excited by the potential opportunities ahead across Trogenix’s pipeline and look forward to our future collaboration,'' explains Max Bautin, co-founder and Managing Partner at IQ Capital.
- Trogenix plans to use the Series A funding to advance its pipeline of potentially curative cancer therapies into clinical trials, including its lead program in glioblastoma and a follow-on program in colorectal cancer liver metastases, as well as developing treatments for other aggressive solid tumors, such as liver and lung cancers.
