Inovio surprised by Roche returning prostate cancer immunotherapy

The CEO of Inovio Pharmaceuticals has said the decision of its partner Roche to return rights to its prostate cancer immunotherapy "was a surprise to us". Dr Joseph Kim, Inovio's president and CEO, told Scrip that the company had no idea the collaboration was about to be terminated when Inovio reported Q3 results on 10 November and said it was expecting to begin Phase I trials of the preclinical DNA vaccine with Roche in 2015. "We were told on Friday [14 November] and announced it first thing Monday [17 November]," he said. "I believe it was a surprise to the Roche development team as well," he added.