AstraZeneca and Inovio Terminate Development of DNA Cancer Vaccine MEDI0457 (INO-3112) for HPV-Related Cancers

October 30, 2021 /BioonBIOON/ --Inovio Pharmaceuticals is a global leader in DNA medicine development, leveraging its optimized plasmid design and delivery technologies to develop DNA medicines with the potential to treat and prevent diseases associated with human papillomavirus (HPV), cancer, and infectious diseases. This August, the company's COVID-19DNA vaccineProduct ZyCoV-D was granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in India, which isDNA vaccineThe first regulatory approval obtained globally. The mechanism of DNA vaccines involves designing and synthesizing DNA plasmids carrying specific antigen sequences, which are transcribed into mRNA within human cells and subsequently translated into proteins to activate the human immune system. In addition to DNA vaccines, Inovio Pharmaceuticals is also developing DNA-based`Tumor`Immunotherapy.

Recently, in a filing submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Inovio Pharmaceuticals disclosed that,`AstraZeneca`(AstraZeneca)'s global biologics R&D division, MedImmune, has notified Inovio,Termination of the INO-3112/MEDI0457 DNA Cancer Vaccine Development Program. Both parties signed a DNA cancer vaccine collaboration agreement on August 7, 2015. Due to the termination of the INO-3112/MEDI0457 development program, this collaboration agreement has been terminated in its entirety.

INO-3112/MEDI0457 is an immunotherapy targeting cancers caused by HPV types 16 and 18.Pursuant to the prior collaboration agreement, MedImmune obtained exclusive license rights to the INO-3112 immunotherapy (renamed MEDI0457), with the right to sublicense such rights. The collaboration agreement permits MedImmune to terminate the agreement at any time by program, product, and/or country.

Upon termination of the collaboration agreement, Inovio will regain the rights to INO-3112 and will no longer be entitled to receive any future potential milestone payments or royalties under the collaboration agreement. The company will also no longer have the right to seek reimbursement from MedImmune for any development activities. Both parties will retain the right to jointly publish work related to this candidate product.

Currently, MedImmune is conducting a Phase 2 trial of MEDI0457 in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).Clinical Trial。MedImmune has completed the final data cut-off for the trial and plans to complete the clinical study report by the end of 2022. Inovio hopes that MedImmune will continue to sponsor the study until its termination. MedImmune will also continue to provide funding for an externally sponsored MID0457 study conducted at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center until the study is completed.

DNA-based drugs

MEDI0457 (VGX-3100 + IL-12) developed for the treatment ofCancers caused by HPV types 16 and 18, these two high-risk HPV types can cause more than 70% of cervical precancerous lesions and cancers. MEDI0457 targets the E6 and E7 oncogenes, which are potentially oncogenic genes expressed by HPV types 16 and 18.

MEDI0457 is injected into the patient's muscle and enters the cells following electroporation using Inovio's Cellectra delivery device. When E6 and E7 are expressed from VGX-3100, the immune system recognizes these proteins as antigens or foreign substances associated with infection or disease. This triggers the production of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), or "killer" T cells. CTLs are immune cells that can recognize and destroy cells expressing specific antigens, in this case, HPV-infected tumor cells. The expression of IL-12 will enhance the immune response generated by VGX-3100, as it stimulates CTL production, increasingTumorLikelihood of cell death.

According to Inovio Pharmaceuticals' pipeline information, MEDI0457 is in Phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of HPV-related cancers, including head and neck cancer, as well as cervical, anal, penile, and vulvar cancers. (Bioon.com)

Original Source:AstraZeneca unit terminates cancer vaccine program with Inovio