Inovio Biomedical Corporation (NYSE Amex: INO), a leader in DNA vaccine
design, development and delivery, has unveiled its new CELLECTRA®-SP
series of hand-held, cordless electroporation devices at the DNA
Vaccines 2010 conference being held in New Orleans, LA.
Existing generations of electroporation systems consist of an electrical
pulse generator box the size of a large laptop attached by a cord to a
separate needle-electrode applicator. The new CELLECTRA®-SP devices
bring together groundbreaking design and engineering advancements to
combine all components into a self-contained, easy-to-use portable
device the size of a cordless hand tool.
Inovio's electroporation-based DNA vaccine delivery systems can increase
levels of gene expression (i.e. production of the
immune-system-stimulating protein the vaccine was coded to produce) of
“naked” DNA vaccines by 100-fold or more compared to delivery of naked
DNA vaccines via conventional injection alone. Delivery of Inovio’s
SynCon™ DNA vaccines into muscle or skin tissue with Inovio’s
electroporation systems have generated robust immune responses in
disease models including influenza (H5N1 and H1N1), smallpox, and HIV.
The strong immune responses have resulted in protection of immunized
animals, most notably ferrets and primates, from death and illness
following a challenge with the respective pathogens.
More significantly, Inovio has translated these animal study findings
into positive clinical results. Inovio’s clinical studies with
electroporation delivery of DNA vaccines in cancer patients have been
among the first to demonstrate generation of potent antigen-specific
immune responses in humans. Inovio recently announced that its
therapeutic cervical cancer vaccine VGX-3100 showed significant
dose-related T-cell and antibody responses in an on-going Phase I study.