Plymouth Meeting-based Inovio has replaced co-founder J. Joseph Kim as CEO and announced that it will shift its focus from developing a COVID-19 vaccine to developing a booster, writes John George for the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Kim oversaw the company’s failed attempts to secure approval for its vaccine candidate. He has served as CEO since 2009.

He is being replaced by Jacqueline Shea, who has been Inovio’s COO since March 2019.

“Shea has shown exceptional leadership and technical expertise overseeing Inovio’s manufacturing, commercial, business development, project and alliance management operations as well as serving as a key member of the executive team,” said Simon X. Benito, Inovio’s board chairman. “We look forward to Dr. Shea taking the helm during a particularly challenging period in Inovio’s history.”

In addition to no longer being the company’s CEO and president, Kim is stepping down from his position on Inovio’s board but has agreed to remain in an advisory capacity to the new CEO during the transition.

“On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Dr. J. Joseph Kim for his commitment to Inovio and his founding vision of a world free from disease through DNA medicines,” said Benito.

Read more about Inovio and Dr. J. Joseph Kim in the Philadelphia Business Journal.