Inovio Biomedical Corporation, a leader in DNA vaccine design, development and delivery, announced that the company and its collaborators from Drexel University, Cheyney University, and the University of Pennsylvania have received a US$ 2.8 million grant to develop a DNA vaccine to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV).

The grant will fund pre-clinical studies to test the safety and effect on the immune system of Inovio's novel vaccines designed to treat persons who are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus and have not responded to currently available therapies. Persons with chronic HCV infection face an increased risk of developing hepatocellular cancer, a difficult-to-treat cancer with a poor prognosis.

"HCV is a major global health problem, with over 170 million people infected worldwide. As a global leader in therapeutic cancer vaccine development, we are pleased to receive this grant support from the state. We are equally thrilled to work with such a stellar group of collaborators to develop a new generation of therapeutic vaccines for HCV," stated Dr. J. Joseph Kim, President and CEO.

"These grants will support research on ways to improve the prevention and treatment of critical health problems facing Pennsylvanians," said Pennsylvania secretary of Health Everette James. "This announcement also reaffirms Pennsylvania's continued commitment to use tobacco settlement dollars to improve the health of its citizens."

These competitive grants focus on specific research priorities established by the Health Research Advisory Committee. These grants are awarded as part of the Commonwealth Universal Research Enhancement Program (CURE), which supports clinical, health services and biomedical research.

Inovio Biomedical is focused on the design, development, and delivery of a new generation of vaccines, called DNA vaccines, to prevent and treat cancers and infectious diseases.