Within A Month After Pulling Plug On COVID-19 Booster Study, Inovio Shelves Two More Infectious Disease Programs

Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc INO has agreed with its collaborator, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), to discontinue the development of product candidates targeting Lassa Fever (INO-4500) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) (INO-4700).
Recently, Inovio discontinued its internally funded efforts to develop INO-4800 as a COVID-19 heterologous booster vaccine.
The move follows the initial data analyses from studies conducted by Inovio and funded by CEPI.
Dr. Jacqueline Shea, Inovio's President & CEO, said, "Although INO-4500 and INO-4700 were well-tolerated by participants in our clinical trials and generated immune responses, the two-dose regimen did not meet CEPI's selection criteria for further development."
Also See: Inovio Lays Out Corporate Reorganization To Extend Cash Runway Into 2024.
The INO-4500 Lassa Fever trial was a Phase 1b study involving 220 participants in Ghana. With this trial, INO-4500 was the first product candidate to enter human clinical trials in West Africa targeting Lassa Fever.
The INO-4700 trial was a Phase 2 study targeting the prevention of MERS. The first trial cohort involved 192 participants in Jordan, Kenya, and Lebanon. The company intends to publish data to aid subsequent research.
Price Action: INO shares are 6.41% lower at $2.19 on the last check Friday.