With thousands of deaths across the globe and the world in the midst of an economic shutdown, the race is on to create a COVID-19 vaccine, and a medical research lab in Kansas City has become ground zero for coronavirus vaccination testing. In April, Inovio Pharmaceuticals became the second U.S. company to begin human trials for a COVID-19 vaccine. The trials involve 80 healthy volunteers at two sites, one in Philadelphia and the other in Kansas City at the Center for Pharmaceutical Research, an AMR company. The novel DNA-based vaccine, created by Inovio researchers at their San Diego lab soon after China published the virus’ genetic code, is designed to trigger an immune response to COVID-19. Results of the trials are expected later this summer. If successful, a sufficient supply of vaccine doses is possible by the end of the year for further trials and emergency use. Join Dr. Laurent Humeau, Chief Scientific Officer at Inovio, and Dr. John Ervin, Medical Director and Principal Investigator at the Center for Pharmaceutical Research, for an insider’s look at the COVID-19 vaccine trials underway in Kansas City that could end the pandemic and save countless lives. Speaker Bios: Laurent Humeau, PhD, is Chief Scientific Officer at Inovio Pharmaceuticals, where he oversees the company’s pipeline of innovative concepts from early-stage discovery and development through clinical application and patient monitoring. Dr. Humeau holds a Ph.D., summa cum laude, from Denis Diderot/Paris 7 University and a MS degree from Pierre & Marie Curie/Paris 6 University, Paris, France. John E. Ervin, MD, founded the Center for Pharmaceutical Research in 1986 and serves as Medical Director and Principal Investigator. During his career, he has conducted over 730 phase I through IV clinical trials. Dr. Ervin earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Notre Dame and received his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

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