Develops precision cancer therapies using a proprietary gene therapy platform that employs Synthetic Super-Enhancers (SSEs) to selectively activate therapeutic payloads in aggressive cancer cells. This approach targets tumors with minimal toxicity to healthy tissue, offering potential curative treatments and long-term immune protection against recurrence, starting with glioblastoma.
Funding
$19.1M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Current cancer treatments often lack the specificity needed to target aggressive tumors effectively, leading to toxicity in healthy tissues and limited long-term immune protection against recurrence. Glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer, exemplifies this challenge, with current treatments offering limited efficacy and poor patient survival rates.
Solution
Trogenix is developing precision cancer therapies using its Odysseus platform, a gene therapy approach that employs Synthetic Super-Enhancers (SSEs) to selectively activate therapeutic payloads within aggressive cancer cells. The SSEs, engineered DNA elements activated only in diseased cell states, act as docking stations for transcription factors uniquely expressed in aggressive cancer cells, enabling highly selective and potent gene control. This approach allows for targeted treatment of tumors while minimizing toxicity to healthy tissue. The platform delivers a comprehensive attack on cancer through controlled cell killing, immune modulation, and a 'Trojan Horse' approach that reawakens the immune system to provide long-term protection against recurrence.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes patients with aggressive cancers, particularly glioblastoma, and the clinicians who treat them, as well as potential partners in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
Features
- Odysseus platform delivers targeted expression of cytotoxic payloads via AAV vectors.
- Proprietary Synthetic Super-Enhancers (SSEs) target the genetic and phenotypic identity common to cancer cells.
- SSEs are engineered DNA elements activated only in diseased cell states.
- 'Trojan Horse' approach reawakens the immune system for long-term protection.
- TGX-007, the lead program, is progressing towards first-in-human clinical trials for glioblastoma.
- Platform has potential applications in solid tumors and regenerative medicine.