Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc (INO)

[mackwheaton]

Don't misunderstand my position with regard to Inovio. I really like this company, and am heavily invested here. My point is that all of the exuberance and talk of a hundred dollar stock needs to be tempered with the reality of the barriers that remain. These include more than the approval process. Big pharma does not take lightly the prospect of losing millions to an upstart. Don't be surprised if a concerted effort is made to create fear and doubt in this generational technology. Medicine is rife with conflicts of interest, for example, I would guess that more oncologists own stock in cancer treatment drug companies than don't.

I love disruption. Upsetting the status quo and taking on institutional strongholds are necessary for progress and reform. I hope that Inovio is that next disruptive company, but I also recognize the risks associated with being that company.

Apple and Microsoft were pioneers but it took years for them to be accepted. Almost no one could envision the value of a PC. They had few barriers to entry.

We still have a lot to overcome, but I believe that the inescapable conclusion that this technology can dramatically improve our world will overcome the barriers to entry that will be imposed by the institutions it threatens to disrupt.