Inovio Biomedical DNA Delivery Technology Presented by Wyeth Researcher at Vaccine Conference.SAN DIEGO -- Inovio Biomedical bi·o·med·i·cal adj. 1. Of or relating to biomedicine. 2. Of, relating to, or involving biological, medical, and physical sciences. Corp. (AMEX AMEX See: American Stock Exchange :INO Ino (ī`nō), in Greek mythology, daughter of Cadmus. She was the wife of Athamas, to whom she bore Learchus and Melicertes. She plotted to kill her stepchildren, Phrixus and Helle, but their mother, Nephele, saved them with the help of a winged ), a leader in enabling the development of DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. vaccines using electroporation-based DNA delivery, announced today that its development partner Wyeth (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :WYE) presented preliminary scientific data on an investigational DNA vaccine for HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. , including results from a non-human primate study, using one of Inovio's proprietary DNA delivery systems. This presentation took place at the Vaccines - Linking Vaccine Development with Market Opportunities conference held in Brussels, Belgium, February 15 - 16, 2007. Inovio's partnership and non-exclusive license agreement with Wyeth was announced in November 2006. About Inovio's DNA Delivery Technology DNA vaccines have the potential to by-pass scientific obstacles inherent in the development of conventional vaccines. For example, DNA vaccines may be better in stimulating cellular immunity cellular immunity n. See cell-mediated immunity. necessary to fight chronic infection or diseases such as cancer. Despite this promise, vaccination using DNA plasmid alone, without enhanced delivery, has not been shown to reach the threshold for clinical benefit. Intramuscular intramuscular /in·tra·mus·cu·lar/ (-mus´ku-ler) within the muscular substance. in·tra·mus·cu·lar adj. Abbr. IM Within a muscle. delivery of DNA vaccines using Inovio's proprietary electroporation electroporation (i·lekˈ·trō·p n. An integrated bodily response to an antigen, especially one mediated by lymphocytes and involving recognition of antigens by specific antibodies or previously sensitized lymphocytes. by orders of magnitude over DNA plasmid alone. Plasmid-based vaccines induced higher levels of antibodies and T-cell responses when delivered via electroporation, suggesting the potential to provide better protection from infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C. About Inovio Biomedical Corporation Inovio Biomedical Corporation is focused on commercializing its Selective Electrochemical electrochemical /elec·tro·chem·i·cal/ (-kem´i-k'l) pertaining to interaction or interconversion of chemical and electrical energies. e·lec·tro·chem·i·cal adj. Tumor Ablation (SECTA) therapy and development of multiple DNA vaccines using its delivery platform for gene-based treatments. SECTA is a local ablation therapy for solid tumors that is designed to selectively kill cancerous cells and minimize cosmetic or functional impacts to predominantly healthy tissue typically treated around the tumor. Inovio is moving its lead product, the MedPulser[R], through pre-marketing studies for head and neck cancer and skin cancers in Europe, where it has CE Mark accreditation, a U.S. phase III pivotal study for head and neck cancer, and a phase I/II trial for breast cancer. Inovio's DNA delivery partners include Merck, Wyeth, Vical, University of Southampton In the most recent RAE assessment (2001), it has the only engineering faculty in the country to receive the highest rating (5*) across all disciplines.[3] According to The Times Higher Education Supplement , Moffitt Cancer Center, and the U.S. Army, with four gene-based therapies and DNA vaccines in phase I clinical studies. Inovio is a leader in developing human therapeutic applications of electroporation, which uses brief, controlled electrical pulses to dramatically increase cellular uptake of a useful biopharmaceutical, with the industry's most extensive patent portfolio covering in vivo electroporation. More information is available at www.inovio.com. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to our plans to develop our electroporation drug and gene delivery technology. Actual events or results may differ from our expectations as a result of a number of factors, including the uncertainties inherent in clinical trials and product development programs (including, but not limited to, the fact that pre-clinical results referenced in this release may not be indicative of results achievable from testing in humans), the availability of funding to support continuing research and studies in an effort to prove safety and efficacy of Inovio's technology as a delivery mechanism, the availability or potential availability of alternative therapies or treatments for the conditions targeted by Inovio or its collaborators, including alternatives that may be more efficacious or cost-effective than any therapy or treatment that Inovio and its collaborators hope to develop, evaluation of potential opportunities, issues involving patents and whether they or licenses to them will provide Inovio with meaningful protection from others using the covered technologies, whether such proprietary rights are enforceable or defensible or infringe or allegedly infringe on rights of others or can withstand claims of invalidity and whether Inovio can finance or devote other significant resources that may be necessary to prosecute, protect or defend them, the level of corporate expenditures, assessments of our technology by potential corporate or other partners or collaborators, capital market conditions, and other factors set forth in the our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, our Form 10-Q for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, and other regulatory filings. There can be no assurance that any product in our product pipeline will be successfully developed or manufactured, or that final results of clinical studies will be supportive of regulatory approvals required to market licensed products. |
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