Inovio Biomedical Corporate Overview
Playing a leadership role in the development of next-generation vaccines
Inovio Biomedical Corporation (AMEX: INO) is focused on the development of next-generation vaccines to prevent or treat cancers and chronic infectious diseases. Such vaccines, which could potentially protect millions of people from debilitation or death from diseases without adequate treatments, may represent multi-billion dollar market opportunities.
Successful development of this new generation of vaccines — DNA vaccines — has been hindered by the lack of safe, efficient and cost effective DNA delivery methods capable of enabling their potency. Inovio's electroporation-based DNA delivery technology has shown potential to play a pivotal role in facilitating delivery and enhancing the potency of preventive and therapeutic vaccines.
Inovio is a leader in developing DNA delivery solutions based on electroporation, which uses brief, controlled electrical pulses to create temporary pores in cell membranes and enable dramatically increased cellular uptake of a useful biopharmaceutical. Once the DNA vaccine enters a cell, it can then "express" the proteins it was encoded to produce. These proteins, or antigens, are designed to be uniquely associated with a targeted cancer or infectious disease, and may then stimulate a more powerful immune response if the immune system encounters the targeted disease at a subsequent time.
Inovio's technology is protected by a leading patent portfolio covering in vivo electroporation and has multiple DNA delivery systems to leverage its intellectual property on conjunction with promising DNA vaccine candidates. Inovio is continuously innovating new devices, which consist of pulse generators and handheld applicators, to create optimal methods and conditions for facilitating DNA vaccine delivery.
Inovio and its partners are targeting diseases with significant unmet treatment needs, including cancers and chronic infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C virus, creating products combining DNA-based immunotherapies or DNA vaccines with Inovio's delivery platform. Agents being developed originate from two sources, representing distinct components of Inovio's business strategy to build value for the company.
- Partnered Development. We license our electroporation-based DNA delivery systems for partners to use in conjunction with their DNA vaccines or DNA-based immunotherapies. These deals provide Inovio with a combination of upfront payments, development fees, milestone payments, royalties and a supply agreement.
- Inovio has an industry-leading list of profile partners including respected vaccine giants Merck and Wyeth, biotech companies, as well as government and non-government agencies such as the NCI and International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. These organizations are developing proprietary agents and/or conducting research using Inovio's technology.
- Proprietary Development. The second prong of Inovio's business strategy is to pursue proprietary vaccine development or co-development, resulting in whole or partial ownership of promising vaccines.
With a strong board of directors providing guidance and experienced management team executing the company's business plan, Inovio's leadership continues to build momentum in establishing a pivotal role for electroporation-based DNA delivery in the advancement of next-generation vaccines.
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Inovio's Press Kit includes avid testimonials about DNA vaccines and Inovio Biomedical's DNA delivery technology.
Inovio's pioneering history
Inovio was founded in San Diego, California, in 1983, as Biotechnologies and Experimental Research, Inc. (BTX) to advance technologies using electroporation to deliver genes and molecules into cells. The company established a pioneering reputation and worldwide leadership in electroporation by developing a product line of instruments for scientific research.
In the early 1990s, the company extended its focus to human therapeutics, adding a Drug and Gene Delivery Division. The company researched applications using electroporation in conjunction with chemotherapeutic agents to treat solid tumors (later called Selective Electrochemical Tumor Ablation) and for cosmetic applications and gene therapy. The company changed its name to Genetronics, Inc. in 1994. In 2003, Genetronics sold the division focused on the scientific research market (BTX) in order to focus exclusively on human applications of electroporation.
In 2005, Genetronics acquired Norway-based Inovio Biomedical AS, which had complementary intellectual property in DNA delivery. Genetronics subsequently changed its name to Inovio Biomedical Corporation. Our company has since made significant progress in the area of DNA vaccine applications, developing and acquiring rights to industry-leading proprietary intellectual property, achieving further positive pre-clinical and clinical results, and adding various esteemed partners.
Inovio has been instrumental in multiple milestones in the emergence of this new generation of vaccines and vaccine delivery technology:
Inovio's DNA-based immunotherapy milestones
- 1996: First data in small animals using electroporation and gene therapy
- 2004: Inovio: first industry license agreement of electroporation technology with a Big Pharma (Merck) relating to a DNA vaccine
- 2004: First-in-man clinical study using a DNA-based immunotherapy delivered with electroporation (with partner, Moffitt Cancer Center)
- 2007: First human data from a DNA-based immunotherapy delivered using electroporation (with partner, Moffitt Cancer Center)
Today, Inovio Biomedical's focus is the creation of treatment alternatives against cancers and chronic infectious diseases by developing a new generation of preventive and therapeutic vaccines called DNA-based immunotherapies and DNA vaccines.