Inovio DNA Technology Application Successfully Demonstrates Monoclonal Antibody Generation

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

announced today the publication of a peer-reviewed paper demonstrating the success of its new DNA plasmid technology in generating therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. In this study in mice, a prototype monoclonal antibody construct encoding for an established anti-HIV monoclonal antibody (VRC01) was created as a DNA plasmid using Inovio's patented DNA optimization technology, including codon/RNA optimization and leader sequence utilization, and delivered with its CELLECTRA® adaptive electroporation device. The results were published in a paper entitled, "Optimized and enhanced DNA plasmid vector based in vivo construction of a neutralizing anti-HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein Fab," in the peer-reviewed Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics. Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) were a transformational scientific innovation designed to enhance the immune system's ability to regulate cell functions. They are designed to bind to a very specific epitope (area) of an antigen or cell surface target and can bind to almost any selected target. mAbs have the unique ability to alert the immune system to attack and kill specific cancer cells (as in the case of Yervoy®) or block certain biochemical pathways (such as those leading to rheumatoid arthritis,