Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc (INO)

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Is Inovio Stock A Buy After Brazil OKs Phase 3 Test For Covid Vaccine?
Brazil's national health agency gave Inovio the go-ahead to run a Phase 2 and Phase 3 study of its shot-plus-device Covid vaccine. The company is also planning to conduct the final-phase test in multiple countries with its partner, Advaccine Biopharmaceuticals Suzhou.

Also last month, INO stock popped after the company dosed the first participant in a study to vaccinate against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS. The illness is caused by a coronavirus. It's more fatal than Covid, though far less common.

It has big biopharma partners like AZN, REGN.

The revenue picture could change quickly if Inovio succeeds in making an effective coronavirus vaccine. The biotech also has a drug in Phase 3 testing to treat a precancerous condition of the cervix. It's partnered with privately held ApolloBio on that drug.

As of June, 232 funds owned 25% of Inovio stock.

Analysts say it's possible Inovio could still launch its vaccine and device internationally. And, now, Advaccine is partnering on the Phase 3 test. That news, on June 9, sent INO stock flying higher.

Last month, Inovio and Advaccine received regulatory clearance to test a boosting strategy using the experimental Covid vaccine and one from Sinovac Biotechnology. The study will take place in China and test sequential immunizations using the two vaccines.

The firm is also working on a vaccine to target Covid variants. In May, the company said preclinical tests showed the vaccine induced immune responses against the variants first found in the U.K., South Africa and Brazil, as well as the original strain.

In Feb, INO stock soared after a Reddit user called for a short squeeze of the stock. Also helping the biotech company: BlackRock, an investment management firm, upped its stake to more than 14.2 M shares. It now owns 8.4%.

What is important, for now, is watching INO stock as the biotech company works to get back on track in developing coronavirus vaccine. Its DNA approach differs from traditional vaccines and from the newer messenger RNA approach.