Singapore: Inovio Pharmaceuticals has collaborated with Korea-based GeneOne Life Science to begin clinical trials of its DNA vaccine developed for Ebola. According to the agreement, Inovio and GeneOne will co-develop Inovio's DNA-based Ebola vaccine through a phase I clinical trial.

Inovio said that the phase I trials would begin as early as first half of 2015. Upon successful completion, the companies aim to further develop and commercialize the product with the help of a third-party support.

In recent pre-clinical testing, the Ebola vaccine had shown promise, offering 100 percent protection against the disease. Researchers found significant increases in neutralizing antibody titers and strong, broad levels of vaccine-induced T-cells, including "killer" T-cells, suggesting that this product could provide both preventive and treatment benefits.

Dr J Joseph Kim, president and CEO, Inovio pharmaceuticals, said, "We are taking steps with our collaborator to establish the safety and immunogenicity of our Ebola vaccine in humans. We soon plan to to further advance and commercialize these agents to help fight this challenging disease."

Meanwhile, clinics across the West African nations, scrambling with the deadly outbreak are brimming with patients.Lack of adequate resources and medical fraternity has further intensified the struggle in the nations. As the death toll hits 3000, afflicted countries are crying for help.