EsoDex

EsoDex is an experimental T-cell receptor (TCR)-based therapeutic developed by Avidex (a spin-off from Oxford University, later acquired by Medigene). It was designed using Avidex's monoclonal TCR (mTCR) platform, which focuses on engineering high-affinity, soluble T-cell receptors. EsoDex specifically targets the **NY-ESO-1** (Cancer/testis antigen 1B) peptide presented by HLA-A2 on the surface of cancer cells. Unlike traditional T-cell therapies that use engineered cells, EsoDex was conceived as a soluble protein therapeutic intended to direct the immune system toward tumors expressing the NY-ESO-1 antigen. The development of the "Dex" series (including RhuDex and HiDex) was part of Avidex's early pipeline in the mid-2000s, though the specific soluble protein format of EsoDex appears to have been superseded by Medigene's later focus on TCR-engineered T-cell (TCR-T) therapies.