Date: 10/26/2006 6:30:00 AM

    SAN DIEGO, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vical Incorporated
(Nasdaq: VICL) announced today the successful challenge to PowderMed Limited's
European patent relating to particle-mediated DNA delivery.  As a result of an
opposition filed by Vical, the European Patent Office decided that PowderMed's
patent should be revoked in its entirety, determining that the patent
contained no allowable claims.  The written decision will become available in
due course, and PowderMed will have the opportunity to appeal.  Pfizer Inc
announced in early October that it had entered into an agreement to acquire
PowderMed.

    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, as well as the
company's focus, collaborative partners, and product candidates.  Risks and
uncertainties include whether PowderMed will appeal the revocation of European
Patent No. 0431135; whether such appeal, if undertaken, will be successful;
whether such appeal, if successful, will impact the company's business;
whether the company's technology will be successfully applied; 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-                             10/26/2006
    /CONTACT:  Investors, Alan R. Engbring of Vical Incorporated,
+1-858-646-1127; or Media, Susan Neath of Porter Novelli Life Sciences,
+1-619-849-6007, for Vical Incorporated/
    /Web site:  http://www.vical.com /
    (VICL)

CO:  Vical Incorporated; Pfizer Inc; PowderMed
ST:  California
IN:  HEA MTC BIO
SU:  PLW

SF-KA
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9240 10/26/2006 06:30 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com