| Title: Vical Extends Patent Coverage for Vaxfectin(TM) Adjuvant
to Conventional Vaccines
Date: 9/13/2006 7:30:00 AM
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vical Incorporated
(Nasdaq: VICL) announced today the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 7,105,574
covering both the novel Vaxfectin(TM) adjuvant and its use with conventional
vaccines against infectious diseases and cancer. The company holds previously
issued patents in the United States and Europe covering the use of
Vaxfectin(TM) with DNA vaccines.
"Adjuvants are commonly included in vaccines to enhance immune responses
or to reduce dosing," said Vijay B. Samant, Vical's President and Chief
Executive Officer. "Currently, the only adjuvant broadly used in human
vaccines in the United States is alum, which has not changed significantly in
more than 50 years. Vaxfectin(TM) is a key component of our avian flu DNA
vaccine because of its superiority in animal models. We are exploring the
potential of Vaxfectin(TM) as a dose-sparing adjuvant for conventional avian
pandemic flu vaccines as well."
Vaxfectin(TM) is a novel adjuvant optimized by Vical to increase the
immune response in DNA vaccines, and Vaxfectin(TM) formulations have
demonstrated safety and adjuvant activity in DNA vaccine applications in
multiple animal models, including non-human primates. The new patent covers a
class of cationic lipid/co-lipid adjuvant formulations, including
Vaxfectin(TM), and their use with conventional vaccines based on proteins,
polypeptides, and polysaccharides, including those containing all or part of a
bacterial or viral pathogen.
This patent adds to Vical's family of patents in the United States and in
other key regions based on the company's discovery that administering
polynucleotides such as DNA or RNA to tissues, without the use of viral
delivery vehicles, may cause expression of the proteins encoded by the
polynucleotides.
About Vical
Vical researches and develops biopharmaceutical products based on its
patented DNA delivery technologies for the prevention and treatment of serious
or life-threatening diseases. Potential applications of the company's DNA
delivery technology include DNA vaccines for infectious diseases or cancer, in
which the expressed protein is an immunogen; cancer immunotherapeutics, in
which the expressed protein is an immune system stimulant; and cardiovascular
therapies, in which the expressed protein is an angiogenic growth factor. The
company is developing certain infectious disease vaccines and cancer
therapeutics internally. In addition, the company collaborates with major
pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies that give it access to
complementary technologies or greater resources. These strategic partnerships
provide the company with mutually beneficial opportunities to expand its
product pipeline and address significant unmet medical needs. Additional
information on Vical is available at www.vical.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements subject to risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those projected. Forward-looking statements include statements about Vical's
technology and its current and potential applications, the scope of coverage
of and potential applications for the company's issued and future patents and
the potential uses and benefits of Vaxfectin(TM), as well as the company's
focus, collaborative partners, and product candidates. Risks and uncertainties
include whether the company's technology will be successfully applied, whether
the company's issued patents will be challenged and whether such challenges
will have an adverse effect on the scope of the patents, whether the company
will enforce its issued patents or will be successful in any enforcement
efforts, whether the company will successfully prosecute additional patent
applications and whether such applications will lead to the issuance of
additional patents, whether Vaxfectin(TM), if used as an adjuvant in any
vaccine in human clinical trials, will be safe and effective at enhancing the
immune response, whether the company or any of its collaborative partners will
incorporate Vaxfectin(TM) into any of their products, whether any product
candidates will be shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials, the
timing, nature and cost of clinical trials, whether Vical or its collaborative
partners will seek or gain approval to market any product candidates, whether
Vical or its collaborative partners will succeed in marketing any product
candidates, and additional risks set forth in the company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent
the company's judgment as of the date of this release. The company disclaims,
however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Contacts: Investors: Media:
Alan R. Engbring Susan Neath
Vical Incorporated Porter Novelli Life Sciences
(858) 646-1127 (619) 849-6007
Website: www.vical.com
SOURCE Vical Incorporated
-0- 09/13/2006
/CONTACT: Alan R. Engbring of Vical Incorporated, +1-858-646-1127; or
Susan Neath of Porter Novelli Life Sciences, +1-619-849-6007, for Vical
Incorporated/
/Web site: http://www.vical.com /
(VICL)
CO: Vical Incorporated
ST: California
IN: HEA MTC BIO
SU: PLW
CC-CM
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0990 09/13/2006 07:30 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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