* Says to "heavily" invest in flu vaccine research
* Says not looking to add to govt flu stockpile this fall
By Anuradha Ramanathan
BANGALORE, Aug 7 (Reuters) - DNA-based vaccine maker Inovio Biomedical Corp, which recently came into the spotlight for its potential influenza vaccine, plans to heavily invest in the product and is also looking for a research and development partner, its chief executive said.
"Universal influenza area would be one of the key areas that we would be looking to partner with a large company to help us lift the (investment) load," Chief Executive Officer Joseph Kim told Reuters in an interview.
The company calls its product a universal flu vaccine as it targets several strains of the virus.
The company expects to begin manufacturing vaccine supplies for H1N1 clinical studies in a "matter of weeks," even though it does not yet have the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval to begin human trials for that indication.
DNA vaccines can be manufactured in weeks rather than the months required for traditional vaccines, a significant advantage when dealing with emerging infectious diseases like the swine flu pandemic.
The current pandemic of a new strain of H1N1 -- commonly known as swine flu -- has accentuated the company's focus on the flu vaccine, though Inovio has no plans to compete with Big Pharma or smaller rivals to contribute to the U.S. government H1N1 flu stockpile this fall, its CEO said.
Last month, the company said its flu vaccine provided protection against the swine flu strain in pigs and mice.
Inovio's vaccine targets specific dominant traits of the H1, H2, H3 and H4 strains of the flu virus, and does not need to be re-formulated as viruses mutate.
If the company's theory is proved correct, Kim said, Inovio's flu vaccine would address 90 percent to 95 percent of all current and future seasonal and pandemic flu threats.
Currently, flu viruses that are capable of mutation could render useless existing flu vaccines or drugs, making it harder to cure the mutated strain within a short period of time.
Denmark, Japan and Hong Kong have all found patients afflicted with the mutated H1N1 flu virus that shows resistance to Swiss drugmaker Roche AG's current standard of care, Tamiflu.
Other pharma companies that make flu vaccines include Sanofi Pasteur, Australia's CSL Ltd, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Novartis AG, Baxter and nasal spray maker MedImmune, which was acquired by AstraZeneca Plc
The H1N1 flu outbreak, declared a pandemic on June 11, has spread around the world and according to estimates provided by the World Health Organization, it could eventually affect 2 billion people.
Inovio's Kim, who described the new vaccine development area as "very investment heavy," said the company will continue to pump money into flu vaccine research.
The vaccine maker said it is trying to secure funds or grants and seeks to collaborate with both the U.S. government and governments outside of the United States.
The CEO said he also plans to use a part of a recent $30 million direct offering to fund flu vaccine research. (Reporting by Anuradha Ramanathan in Bangalore; Editing by Anthony Kurian)