AZD5396

AZD5396 is a DNA-encoded monoclonal antibody (DMAb) developed through a collaborative research program involving **AstraZeneca**, **INOVIO**, **The Wistar Institute**, and the **University of Pennsylvania**. It is designed as a durable and scalable alternative to traditional monoclonal antibody therapies for COVID-19. AZD5396 consists of synthetic DNA plasmids that encode for a neutralizing antibody derived from AstraZeneca's COVID-19 antibody cocktail (tixagevimab and cilgavimab). The therapy is delivered via intramuscular injection followed by electroporation using INOVIO's CELLECTRA device, which facilitates the *in vivo* production of the therapeutic antibody by the patient's own cells. This approach aims to provide sustained antibody production and functional activity, potentially offering a more tolerable and logistically simpler solution than traditional protein-based antibody infusions. The program has been supported by funding from DARPA and the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND).

Other names

DNA-encoded monoclonal antibodyDMAb