From Earlier: Inovio Pharmaceuticals Announces It Moves Closer to "Universal" Influenza Vaccine by Demonstrating Protective Immune Responses Against Multiple H3N2 and Type B Strains in Animal Studies

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

announced today that its synthetic vaccines for influenza Type A H3N2 and Type B achieved protective antibody responses in immunized animals against multiple unmatched strains. Inovio previously reported that its H5N1 synthetic vaccine achieved hemagglutination inhibition titers against six unmatched strains of this influenza subtype in a Phase I human study. The new flu data was highlighted by Dr. Mark Bagarazzi, Inovio's Chief Medical Officer, in a presentation and panel session at Phacilitate Vaccine Forum Washington 2012. The H3N2, H1N1, and Type B influenza strains represented in each year's seasonal influenza vaccine are updated annually, but only protect against a single strain within each of these subtypes. When the selected strain(s) mutates, the annual vaccine may not provide protection, as witnessed with the 2009 swine flu H1N1 pandemic. There is consequently a global need for a universal vaccine able to provide longer term protection against all existing and potential new strains within the influenza subtypes of concern to humans.