Inovio Pharma’s Ebola vaccine moving into Ph I with GeneOne Life Science

US drug developer Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NYSE MKT: INO) has said it will advance its DNA vaccine for Ebola into a Phase I clinical trial in a collaboration with South Korea-based GeneOne Life Science (KRX: 011000), an international DNA vaccine manufacturer in which Inovio holds a minority interest.

The companies are currently conducting pre-Investigational New Drug (IND) activities and plan to start the clinical study in the first half of 2015. On successful completion of the Phase I, the companies will jointly seek additional third party support and resources to further develop and commercialize this product.

Along with the escalating spread of Ebola and related deaths, this virus is also mutating into diverse strains. There are no preventive vaccines or effective therapeutic approaches to Ebola; the ease with which Ebola is generating genetic variations will complicate the process of creating such solutions. In addition, various experimental approaches have already been associated with undesirable side effects and limited ability to scale manufacturing, Inovio noted.