Within A Month After Pulling Plug On COVID-19 Booster Study, Inovio Shelves Two More Infectious Disease Programs
Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: INO) has agreed with its collaborator, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), to discontinue the development of product candidates targeting Lassa Fever (INO-4500) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) (INO-4700).
Recently, Inovio discontinued its internally funded efforts to develop INO-4800 as a COVID-19 heterologous booster vaccine.
The move follows the initial data analyses from studies conducted by Inovio and funded by CEPI.
Dr. Jacqueline Shea, Inovio's President & CEO, said, "Although INO-4500 and INO-4700 were well-tolerated by participants in our clinical trials and generated immune responses, the two-dose regimen did not meet CEPI's selection criteria for further development."
Also See: Inovio Lays Out Corporate Reorganization To Extend Cash Runway Into 2024.
The INO-4500 Lassa Fever trial was a Phase 1b study involving 220 participants in Ghana. With this trial, INO-4500 was the first product candidate to enter human clinical trials in West Africa targeting Lassa Fever.
The INO-4700 trial was a Phase 2 study targeting the prevention of MERS. The first trial cohort involved 192 participants in Jordan, Kenya, and Lebanon. The company intends to publish data to aid subsequent research.
Price Action: INO shares are 6.41% lower at $2.19 on the last check Friday.
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