Adze Biotechnology Doses First Patient in Australia in Phase 1 Trial of ADZE1.C for Advanced Melanoma

Dosing took place at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) in Adelaide, South Australia, under the direction of principal investigator Dr. Rachel Roberts-Thomson.

CORAL GABLES, FL, UNITED STATES, June 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Adze Biotechnology Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 1 Trial of ADZE1.C for Advanced Melanoma at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide

First-in-human administration of a novel intratumoral immunotherapy designed to locally amplify CD40 ligand signaling and generate durable, immune-driven anti-tumor responses

Adze Biotechnology, Inc., a clinical-stage oncolytic immunotherapy company developing novel immunotherapies for patients with solid tumors, today announced that the first patient has been successfully dosed with ADZE1.C in its Phase 1 clinical trial in advanced melanoma. The dosing took place at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) in Adelaide, South Australia, under the direction of principal investigator Dr. Rachel Roberts-Thomson.
This milestone marks the first-in-human administration of ADZE1.C, a conditionally replicating oncolytic adenovirus engineered to deliver and locally amplify CD40 ligand (CD40L) expression within the tumor microenvironment. By concentrating this potent immune-activating signal precisely where it is needed — inside the tumor itself — ADZE1.C is designed to recruit and activate dendritic cells, prime tumor-specific T cells, and ultimately generate durable, systemic anti-tumor immune responses with the potential to clear tumors and prevent their recurrence.

“This is an extraordinary moment for our company, and far more importantly, for the patients and families who have placed their trust in this program,” said Sidney Hopps, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Adze Biotechnology. “The patients enrolled in this study have already been through standard therapies that did not work for them. They and their families are looking for something different, and they have shown remarkable courage in stepping forward. We are deeply grateful to them, to the clinical team at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and to our partners across this program. We are hopeful that the science we have built can begin to make a meaningful difference in their lives.”

Dr. Rachel Roberts-Thomson, Medical Oncologist at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and principal investigator for the Adelaide site, added: “Patients with advanced melanoma who progress after current standard-of-care therapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, have limited options and an urgent need for new approaches. Dosing the first patient with ADZE1.C is an important step forward in evaluating a novel mechanism that aims to re-engage the immune system against the tumor in a precise, locally targeted manner. Our team is privileged to be part of this study.”

About the Phase 1 Melanoma Trial
The ongoing Phase 1, open-label, multicenter study is evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, biological activity, and preliminary anti-tumor effects of ADZE1.C administered as an intratumoral injection in patients with advanced or metastatic melanoma who have progressed following prior systemic therapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors where appropriate. The trial is being conducted at clinical sites in Australia, including The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide and Monash Health in Melbourne, with Dr. Muhammad Alamgeer serving as principal investigator at Monash Health. Additional information about the study, including eligibility criteria and contact details, will be made available through the relevant clinical trial registry.

About ADZE1.C
ADZE1.C is Adze Biotechnology’s lead investigational therapy: a conditionally replicating oncolytic adenovirus built on the company’s proprietary Ad657 backbone and armed with a payload encoding CD40 ligand (CD40L), a master regulator of anti-tumor immunity. ADZE1.C is designed to selectively replicate within tumor cells and to drive high, sustained, locally restricted expression of CD40L within the tumor microenvironment while limiting systemic exposure. By coupling tumor-selective viral replication with concentrated local immune activation, ADZE1.C is intended to generate durable, immune-driven anti-tumor responses capable of clearing tumors and protecting against recurrence. ADZE1.C is being investigated in multiple solid tumor indications, including melanoma, triple-negative breast cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

ADZE1.C is an investigational therapy and has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, or any other regulatory authority for any indication. The safety and efficacy of ADZE1.C have not been established.

About Adze Biotechnology
Adze Biotechnology, Inc. is a clinical-stage oncolytic immunotherapy company headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida. The company is developing ADZE1.C, a CD40L-armed conditionally replicating adenovirus on its proprietary Ad657 backbone, for the treatment of patients with solid tumors. Adze’s mission is to deliver durable, immune-driven outcomes for patients whose cancers have not responded to existing therapies. For more information, please visit www.adzebiotech.com.

About The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) is a major teaching and tertiary referral hospital located in Adelaide, South Australia, and part of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network. TQEH has a long-established reputation in clinical research, particularly in oncology and immunotherapy, and serves as a leading site for early-phase clinical trials in Australia.

Investor and Media Contact
Adze Biotechnology, Inc.
Coral Gables, Florida
Email: [contact@adzebiotech.com]
Web: www.adzebiotech.com

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the design, mechanism, and potential clinical benefits of ADZE1.C; the anticipated progress, enrollment, conduct, and results of the Phase 1 melanoma trial; the broader development of ADZE1.C across multiple solid tumor indications; and the future plans, expectations, and business strategy of Adze Biotechnology. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, without limitation, risks related to early-stage clinical development, the unpredictable nature of clinical trial outcomes, regulatory review and approval processes in the United States, Australia, and other jurisdictions, manufacturing and supply, competitive dynamics, and the company’s need for additional capital. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Adze Biotechnology undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by law.
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Sidney Hopps
Adze Biotechnology, Inc.
+1 917-743-9401
email us here

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