Inovio’s SynCon dengue virus DNA vaccine showed neutralized antibody responses against all four distinct serotypes of dengue viruses, that are transmitted to humans by mosquitoes.
The company’s scientists used the SynCon approach to develop a universal dengue vaccine. The candidate vaccine is delivered as a single DNA plasmid construct, containing sequences of a key surface antigen (domain III) from the E protein of all four subtypes of the dengue virus.
Reportedly, in mice studies, the scientists found that this universal vaccine was able to induce cross-protective neutralizing antibody responses against all four dengue subtypes.
Joseph Kim, CEO of Inovio, said, Dengue fever represents a clear unmet need because it is endemic in many regions of the world and has pandemic potential. Yet it has been a difficult target for vaccine development because the conventional sub-type-specific vaccine approach only exasperates the problem. We are pleased to see the promising results of our experimental universal vaccine candidate against all four subtypes. These studies further underscore the potential and wide applicability of our SynCon approach for vaccine development.”