(Please also input the important details for the slides here:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GOk8DNvwofnNNaarq1FwDCI_mH_TJQhrgp5k8TTcB
JY/edit?usp=sharing)

A) abstract from a scientific publication the latest study for the cure/vaccine for COVID-19- with
complete reference.
(B) diagrammatic representation how it works (in animated powerpoint) include below the slide
the reference.

____________________________________________________________________________

INOVIO PHARMACEUTICALS

I. ABSTRACT
II. DESCRIPTION (Brief)
● Who: David Weiner, the director of the Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center at the
Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, and his group
-led by Inovio Pharmaceuticals
-funded by Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI)
● What: To develop a DNA-based vaccine for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
(MERS), which is caused by a coronavirus
● When: January 23, 2020
● Why: to make a vaccine that will cure the infectious disease spread all over the
world.
● How: Their basic approach to vaccine design is to change the nucleotide
sequences of these genes to modify the predicted mRNA structures for optimal
expression once inside people so that these transcripts abundantly produce the
antigens people’s immune systems will recognize. The DNA is injected
intramuscularly, then brief electric pulses applied to the site via small needles
make the cell membranes more permeable to the genetic material. Then the
human cells make viral mRNA and protein from the construct, thereby priming
the immune system to fight the virus.

III. HOW IT WORKS (Animated Presentation daw sabi ni Sir HAHAH)

● Process or Procedure
A. PHASE 1: RNA to DNA
● For their SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, Inovio scientists convert
the virus’s RNA into DNA and select pieces of the virus
that computer simulations have suggested will prod the
immune system into making antibodies.
● Those selected bits of DNA are then inserted into bacteria,
which produce large quantities of protein snippets to be
used in the vaccine.
 ●
This approach drastically shortens the time it takes to
make a vaccine. A traditional vaccine takes two to three
years to develop. For Inovio’s product, it took three hours
to design and about a month to manufacture
● Inovio started testing the vaccine in animals at the
beginning of February and hopes to begin safety tests in
people by early summer.”
B. PHASE 2: PROTEIN PRODUCTION
● “Scientists have selected portions of SARS-CoV-2 that
may spark a vigorous immune reaction against the virus.
The mRNA vaccine will tell human cells which viral
proteins to make.
● Those proteins will then prod the immune system to make
antibodies to protect against the virus. Since the body
does all of the protein-production work with the mRNA
vaccine, researchers can skip the time-consuming and
costly step of manufacturing vaccine proteins.”

C. PHASE 3: IMMUNOTHERAPHY

● Their basic approach to vaccine design is to change the

nucleotide sequences of these genes to modify the
predicted mRNA structures for optimal expression once
inside people so that these transcripts abundantly produce
the antigens people’s immune systems will recognize.
● The DNA is injected intramuscularly, then brief electric
pulses applied to the site via small needles make the cell
membranes more permeable to the genetic material. Then
the human cells make viral mRNA and protein from the
construct, thereby priming the immune system to fight the
virus.

● Diagram Representation of How it Works (Flow Chart, Graphs or Videos)

● Explanation

IV. ADVANTAGES

1. ROBUST T CELL RESPONSES

- optimized DNA is translated into proteins that activate an individual's immune
system to generate a robust targeted T cell and antiboy response
2. DEMONSTRATED CLINICAL EFFICACY
- it has generated impressive results in preclinical and clinical studies
3. ENTIRELY IN VIVO
-it represents an important advancement in immunotherapies that can be pulled
off-the-shelf and administered in-clinic across populations, as opposed to some T
cell generating technologies that require individual ex-vivo manipulation for each
patient
 4. CAN BE TARGETED TO DIVERSE TUMOR TYPES AND PATHOGENS
-with dMAb technology, can be designed to target viral and bacterial pathogens
5. DESIGNED FOR SAFETY
-use the power of the immune system
6. POTENT IMMUNE RESPONSES
-driven by a proprietary, efficacy-enhancing delivery system that produces up to
a 1000-fold increase in antigen expression
7. BODY AS MEDICINE
-it directs the body itself to generate the treatment in vivo
8. VERSATILITY
-platform provides the flexibility to target a broad range of diseases, with multiple
antigens that direct a specific and potent immune response against single or
multiple disease antigenic targets
9. RAPID DEVELOPMENT
-it reduces the time required to create propriety antigen-targeting
immunotherapies

V. BUDGET AND REDISTRIBUTION

Inovio Pharmaceuticals was awarded a grant of up to $9 million by the Coalition for Epidemic
Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. This was made
possible because of Inovio’s existing partnership with CEPI in which the company was granted
in April 2018 an award of up to $56 million to develop vaccines for Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome (MERS) and Lassa fever.

It is now being manufactured so that it can be tested in animals and then go to clinical trials. The
current funding is said to cover phase 1 of human testing and if proven effective in the
succeeding phases after months of testing, the company can already distribute a potential
vaccine for COVID-19.

Joseph Kim of Inovio Pharmaceuticals, said he’s targeting the first human tests to begin in the
U.S. “before early summer.” As of the moment, CEPI’s executive director Dr. Richard Hatchett,
said that the goal is to have a vaccine ready for wide deployment in 12 to 18 months.

As for the mass redistribution, no formal vaccines have been released yet since it is still under
experiment. However, scientists are positive that since it is patterned to the MERS-COV
understudy, it will be easier to come up with it.

VI. TIMELINE OF DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS (NEWS UPDATES) --- Ate Abby

A. January 23 - Inovio Selected by CEPI to Develop Vaccine Against New Coronavirus

 ● This initial CEPI funding will support Inovio's preclinical and clinical development
through Phase 1 human testing of INO-4800, its new coronavirus vaccine
matched to the outbreak strain.
B. January 30 - Inovio Collaborating With Beijing Advaccine To Advance INO-4800
Vaccine Against New Coronavirus In China
● The goal of this collaboration is to leverage Advaccine's expertise to run a Phase
1 trial in China in parallel with Inovio's clinical development efforts in the U.S.
Inovio and Advaccine will also work together to attract additional grant funding
and further collaborations with larger vaccine companies in China to increase the
speed of future testing of INO-4800.
● This collaboration allows us to enter China and deliver our vaccine into the areas
where they need it most as soon as possible.”—Joseph Kim
● "Once China had provided the DNA sequence of this virus, we were able to put it
through our lab's computer technology and design a vaccine within three hours.-
Kate Broderick, senior vice-president of research and development at Inovio
● Inovio says if the initial human trials are a success, larger trials would follow,
ideally in an outbreak setting in China "by the end of the year".

C. February 15 - Inovio Pharmaceuticals said that it has produced a pre-clinical vaccine to

fight the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus at its lab in San Diego

D. Feb 24 - Shares of the clinical-stage vaccine companies Inovio Pharmaceuticals

(NASDAQ:INO) and Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX) both jumped by as much as 18% in
pre-market trading Monday morning.
● Inovio and Novavax appear to be getting a major boost this morning from the
latest COVID-19 statistics, which seem to indicate that the outbreak is quickly
turning into a global pandemic.

REFERENCES

http://ir.inovio.com/news-and-media/news/default.aspx

https://morethanthecurve.com/plymouth-meetings-inovio-pharmaceuticals-granted-9-million-to-
develop-a-vaccine-for-current-coronavirus-in-china/?

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51299735

https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/02/24/why-inovio-pharmaceuticals-and-novavax-are-
explodi.aspx

http://ir.inovio.com/news-and-media/news/press-release-details/2020/Inovio-Collaborating-With-
Beijing-Advaccine-To-Advance-INO-4800-Vaccine-Against-New-Coronavirus-In-
China/default.aspx
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-02-15/coronavirus-vaccine-design-inovio-san-
diego

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/newer-vaccine-technologies-deployed-to-
develop-covid-19-shot-67152

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/new-coronavirus-vaccine-development-process-
accelerating

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/newer-vaccine-technologies-deployed-to-develop-
covid-19-shot-67152

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-latest-coronavirus-stock-screamers-inovio-
pharmaceuticals-co-diagnostics-2020-01-23

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/local-biotech-company-developing-coronavirus-
vaccine/2250034/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-13/this-oslo-facility-may-be-the-key-to-the-
coronavirus-vaccine