A collaboration between Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Beijing Advaccine Biotechnology Co. announced last week intends to take on the rapidly spreading novel coronavirus — 2019-nCoV — through advancement of the INO-4800 vaccine.
Inovio recently began developing INO-4800 through Phase 1 human testing in the U.S. to evaluate its safety and immunogenicity. Preclinical testing has already begun, and clinical product manufacturing preparations are underway. Such testing was made possible through an up to $9 million grant from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). By collaborating with Beijing Advaccine, Inovio hopes to rapidly develop its new vaccine by running parallel Phase 1 trials in China.
“This collaboration allows us to enter China and deliver our vaccine into the areas where they need it most as soon as possible,” Dr. J. Joseph Kim, president and CEO of Inovio, said. “Our shared goal is to utilize both [companies’] expertise in developing vaccines for emerging infectious diseases and hopefully achieve an accelerated regulatory approval for INO-4800.”
The two companies hope to eventually attract further grand funding and collaborations from larger Chinese vaccine companies. The vaccine utilizes the DNA medicine platform Inovio has used to rapidly develop vaccines against other emerging viruses with pandemic potential.