Inovio to begin late-stage Covid-19 vaccine study in second quarter

Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc expects to start a late-stage US study of its experimental Covid-19 vaccine candidate in the second quarter of 2021, the drug developer’s chief executive officer said on Monday.

Inovio’s vaccine, INO-4800, is being tested in two trials – a mid-stage study in China in partnership with Advaccine Biopharmaceuticals Suzhou Co Ltd and a mid-to-late stage trial in the United States.

The company announced a licensing deal with Advaccine Biopharmaceuticals Suzhou Co. Ltd. for its Covid-19 vaccine candidate. As part of the agreement, the privately held Chinese biotech gains exclusive right to develop, manufacture, and commercialise the still-investigational vaccine in China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

The US Food and Drug Administration had put the Phase III portion of the study on hold in September, as the agency sought more information, including details of a delivery device used to inject INO-4800 into skin cells.

The regulatory delay has resulted in Inovio lagging behind other developers in the race to develop a vaccine, as shots from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have already gained authorisation for emergency use in the United States.

Shares of Pennsylvania-based Inovio rose 6 per cent to $9.43 on Monday afternoon.