IMNN-101 Preclinical Data in SARS CoV-2 Published in Peer-Reviewed Journal Vaccine

Data Show Strong Immunogenicity and Protection with IMUNON’s PlaCCine DNA-Based Vaccine Modality

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J., Feb. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IMUNON, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMNN), a clinical-stage drug-development company focused on developing non-viral DNA-mediated immunotherapy and next-generation vaccines, announces that an article titled “Strong immunogenicity & protection in mice with PlaCCine: A COVID-19 DNA vaccine formulated with a functional polymer” by Subeena Sood, Majed M. Matar, et. Al. [https://doi.org.10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.01.065] has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Vaccine, by Elsevier. The article is available at https://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S0264-410X(24)00077-X.

The study described in the article used IMUNON’s proprietary formulation against the spike proteins from two SARS-CoV-2 variants, both alone and in combination. Data from the study show:

• IMUNON’s proprietary formulation of functionalized polymer protected DNA from degradation, while the combination with an adjuvant led to an increase in protein expression.
• DNA formulated with PlaCCine resulted in a DNA vaccine product that was stable for up to one year at 4°C.
• DNA formulated in PlaCCine resulted in the induction of spike-specific neutralizing antibodies and cytotoxic T cells.
• In the in vivo challenge model, the vaccine-induced immune response was capable of suppressing viral replication.
• Multiple inserts can be cloned into the PlaCCine backbone (a plug-and-play strategy), therefore allowing for an immune response with broader protection.
  

Dr. Corinne Le Goff, president and chief executive officer of IMUNON, said, “The publication of this manuscript in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal Vaccine adds to the growing body of preclinical data confirming the efficacy and desirable features of our PlaCCine vaccine modality. While data from this murine study confirm PlaCCine’s potential to address SARS-CoV-2 pathogens, and recent data from non-human primates are promising, we look forward to filing an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the coming weeks, and to beginning a Phase 1/2 study this spring. Clearly COVID-19 continues to remain a global public health concern. With IMNN-101, we are pursuing more potent and durable immunity, and with ease of handling and ability to incorporate multiple antigens in a single plasmid, we believe that our novel DNA vaccine modality is well positioned as the next generation of vaccines.”