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Roche cuts ties with Inovio in hepatitis B development

pharmafile | August 3, 2016 | News story | Research and Development Inovio, Roche, hepatitis B 

Inovio Pharmaceuticals has announced that it will independently continue development of hepatitis B immunotherapy, INO-1800, after Swiss drugmaker Roche issued notice that it would cease its licensing collaboration on the drug.

Roche only paid $10 million upfront to co-develop some of Inovio’s early stage pipeline assets, including, INO-1800 but the deal was worth a potential $422 million through milestone payments.

All rights granted to Roche related to INO-1800, including the right to license the product to other parties, will now be returned to Inovio. The company has signalled their intent to continue its current Phase I study of INO-1800, with enrolment anticipated in Q1 2017, and results expected in Q2 later that year.

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CEO Dr Joseph Kim says: “While we acknowledge Roche’s strategic decision in the area of hepatitis B, we are optimistic that our potent immunotherapy platform will make a difference in this globally important chronic viral infection, similar to what we have demonstrated in HPV-related disease. Inovio was already managing the Phase I clinical trial so the study will continue on track without disruption.”

Investors didn’t share Kim’s optimism, with share sat Inovio falling 6% at the time of writing.

Sean Murray

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