DNA Vaccine Delivered Using Electroporation Shows Potential to Treat Cervical Cancer and Precursor Dysplasias; Vaccine to Start Phase II in Early 2011
Market Watch
BLUE BELL, Pa., Sep 13, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. /quotes/comstock/14*!ino/quotes/nls/ino (INO 1.11, 0.00, 0.00%) , a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced today that it has achieved best-in-class immune responses in its Phase I dose escalation study of VGX-3100, its DNA vaccine to treat pre-cancerous cervical dysplasias and cervical cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18. This vaccine targets HPV E6 and E7 proteins and is delivered via in vivo electroporation. All dose groups developed significant antibody and T-cell immune responses; however, more notably, in the third and final dose group, five of six (83%) patients developed unprecedented T-cell responses not achieved by any other non-replicating vaccine platform in humans. Inovio is planning to start a Phase II clinical study in the first quarter of 2011.