Inovio Focuses On Launching Global COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Next Month – CEO

Aug. 9 (Reuters) – Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc (INO.O) is focused on launching the advanced global trial of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate next month, top boss Joseph Kim said on Monday in a call, the drug’s developer expecting data in the first half of next year.

In May, Inovio announced that it would begin the study of INO-4800 in the summer of this year, after the vaccine candidate was found to be safe and well tolerated and produced an immune response against the new coronavirus in a clinical trial at mid-term. . Read more

The company started developing INO-4800 last year, but fell behind rivals after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended part of the US study to get more information about the vaccine delivery device.

The FDA move was followed by the US government withdrew funding for the late-stage study, citing the rapidly changing environment for vaccine development.

The global trial, meanwhile, will initially focus on Latin America, Asia-Pacific and regions of Africa, the company said.

“We were initially focused on Latin America and Asia-Pacific, but looking at the rapidly changing vaccination rates and epidemiology of the virus, we are including parts of Africa,” said a leader of the company during the post-benefit call.

The company, which has no approved drug on the market, has so far received around $ 85 million in combined funding from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Department of Defense for the advancement and manufacture of the INO-4800.

Earlier this year, Inovio expanded its partnership with Chinese company Advaccine Biopharmaceuticals to conduct the advanced stage trial. Under the expanded agreement, companies expect to share equally its total cost.

Reporting by Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru and Carl O’Donnell in New York; Editing by Devika Syamnath

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