Inovio Launches Zika Vaccine Trial In Puerto Rico

Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Monday it has launched a trial of a Zika virus vaccine involving 160 patients in Puerto Rico. The vaccine is being developed with GeneOne Life Science Inc. and academics from the U.S. and Canada, who are also working on Inovio's Ebola and MERS vaccines. The Center for Disease Control is expecting more than 25% of Puerto Ricans to contract Zika by year-end. "Inovio and its collaborators are moving ahead with this second Zika vaccine clinical trial to evaluate safety, immune responses, and possible signals of vaccine efficacy," Inovio Chief Executive Joseph Kim said in a statement. Inovio shares were indicating higher in premarket trade, and are up 32% in the year so far, while the S&P 500 has gained 6%.