Inovio Pharmaceuticals (Formerly Known as Inovio Biomedical Corporation) Completes Enrollment of HIV Clinical Trial for DNA Vaccine Delivered Using Electroporation
Inovio previously reported data from non-human primates demonstrating up to a 100-fold enhancement in immune responses resulting from the vaccine when delivered via in vivo electroporation compared to syringe injection without electroporation. This HVTN-080 study, which is assessing safety and levels of immune responses in humans, is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), an agency of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Dr. Spyros Kalams, the principal investigator for the study, who is also the Immunology Director of the Vanderbilt Center for AIDS Research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said: “Enrollment for this trial was completed ahead of schedule, with much anticipation for assessing this new concept for HIV vaccines. We look forward to the results of this DNA vaccine trial with its unique mode of action and novel delivery technology.”
Dr. J. Joseph Kim, Inovio’s president and CEO, said, “We are pleased to collaborate with the NIH and HVTN on a vaccine that holds much promise for limiting HIV infection. We recently announced best-in-class immunogenicity data from our clinical trial for our HPV/cervical cancer DNA vaccine using the same technology platform. We are optimistic that electroporation delivery of PENNVAX™-B vaccine will demonstrate similar levels of safety and immunogenicity.”
Inovio expects to release final results from this study in Q2 2011, with interim results potentially being reported by year end of 2010.
About Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Inovio is developing a new generation of vaccines, called DNA vaccines, to treat and prevent cancers and infectious diseases. These SynCon™ vaccines are designed to provide broad cross-strain protection against known as well as newly emergent strains of pathogens such as influenza. These vaccines, in combination with Inovio’s proprietary electroporation delivery devices, have been shown to be safe and generate significant immune responses. Inovio’s clinical programs include HPV/cervical dysplasia and cancer (therapeutic), avian flu (preventive), and HIV vaccines (both preventive and therapeutic). Inovio is developing universal influenza and other vaccines in collaboration with scientists from the University of Pennsylvania. Other partners and collaborators include Merck, National Cancer Institute, HIV Vaccines Trial Network, National Microbiology Laboratory of the Public Health Agency of Canada, and PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative. More information is available at www.inovio.com.