Trogenix Bolsters Clinical Research Team with Appointment of Atif Abbas as Chief Medical Officer and Carolyn Edwards as Vice President, Research & Development
Atif Abbas, MD joins as CMO, bringing over 25 years’ experience in oncology drug development and clinical and regulatory strategy
Carolyn Edwards, PhD appointed VP, R&D, with over 15 years’ expertise in drug development and strategic partnering
Edinburgh, UK, 18 July 2025 – Trogenix Ltd (“Trogenix”), a pioneering biotech company dedicated to developing innovative cancer therapies, today announces two senior appointments as the Company advances its pipeline towards the clinic. Atif Abbas, MD joins as Chief Medical Officer (CMO), bringing over 25 years of pharmaceutical and biotechnology leadership with extensive experience guiding drug development programmes from preclinical stages through clinical trials to market approval and will drive clinical excellence through to commercialisation. Carolyn Edwards, PhD joins as Vice President (VP), R&D, bringing over 15 years of comprehensive experience in drug development and strategic partnerships and will focus on accelerating Trogenix’s R&D pipeline.
Ken Macnamara, Chief Executive Officer at Trogenix, added: “As we enter the clinical phase, we are delighted to welcome Atif as CMO and Carolyn as VP, R&D at this transformative moment for Trogenix. Atif’s deep expertise in clinical strategy, innovative trial designs, and track record of bringing advanced therapies to patients, combined with Carolyn’s experience across immunology, translational science, and programme strategy, significantly bolsters our capabilities as we advance the Odysseus platform. The appointment of these highly talented experts will be instrumental as we advance our pipeline of immuno-oncology assets through the clinic.”
An oncology-focused physician, Atif has successfully led numerous first-in-human IND submissions for immunotherapy compounds, including PDL1-41bb bispecific antibodies, NKG2A antibodies, and STING agonists, while playing pivotal roles in high-profile regulatory submissions such as the successful BLA filing for avelumab in Merkel cell carcinoma. Most recently serving as VP and Head of Immuno-oncology at Servier Pharma, he has built and led multidisciplinary clinical development teams across senior roles at Spring Bank Pharma, Kadmon (acquired by Sanofi for $1.9B in 2021), Merck and AbbVie.
Atif earned his medical degree from King Edward Medical University in Lahore, Pakistan, completed oncology training at Mayo Hospital, and pursued clinical research at Yale-Griffin Hospital in the U.S. He is a graduate of the Global Clinical Scholars Research Programme at Harvard Medical School and a widely published author in oncology and medical safety.
Atif Abbas, newly appointed Chief Medical Officer at Trogenix, said: “Having spent over two decades navigating the complexities of oncology drug development – from first-in-human studies to successful market approvals – I’m excited to join Trogenix to chart our course through the clinic. The innovation driven by the Odysseus platform enabling a ‘Trojan horse’ approach for potential curative responses to aggressive cancers offers significant hope and I look forward to accelerating our clinical programmes and bringing these therapies to the patients who need them most.”
Carolyn brings a unique blend of scientific insight, operational leadership, and partnership-building expertise that will be invaluable in the expansion and acceleration of Trogenix’s R&D pipeline. Her proven track record includes progressing immunotherapies from concept to candidate, securing a clinical development partnership and asset transfer.
Carolyn completed her PhD at the Department of Immunology, Imperial College London, UK, continuing her research at University College London before Translational Science and R&D Leadership positions in immuno-oncology at Crescendo Biologics and Achilles Therapeutics.
Carolyn Edwards, newly appointed VP, R&D, commented: “I’m thrilled to join Trogenix and contribute to maximising the potential of the Odysseus platform through its next phase of development. Having guided multiple oncology programmes from discovery and clinical stages, I look forward to applying this experience to help accelerate the Company’s innovative pipeline.”
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About Trogenix
Trogenix unites cutting-edge technologies in genomics, oncology, immunotherapy, and gene therapy to create a revolutionary therapeutic approach through its Odysseus platform. Using proven AAV vectors, our proprietary Synthetic Super-Enhancers (SSEs) are delivered directly to tumour cells without detection. Our SSEs enable unprecedented precision in gene control, effectively revealing cancer to the body’s immune system and killing tumour cells. For any cells escaping Trogenix’s technology, our ‘Trojan horse’ can counter recurrence, offering potentially curative ‘one-and-done’ treatments for aggressive tumours. With our lead asset showing curative potential in preclinical glioblastoma studies, we’re poised to transform treatment paradigms across multiple cancer types and explore applications beyond oncology, such as regenerative medicine.
For more information, visit www.trogenix.com.
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