Date: 10/31/2006 6:30:00 AM

    SAN DIEGO, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vical Incorporated
(Nasdaq: VICL) announced today that it has acquired from Valentis, Inc.
(Nasdaq: VLTS) certain pending patents that complement the company's existing
intellectual property positions in poloxamers and angiogenesis, and licensed
from Valentis non-exclusive rights to a portfolio of issued and pending
patents directed toward manufacturing.  Financial terms were not disclosed.

    "We recently evaluated the Valentis intellectual property portfolio and
selected those portions of interest," said Vijay B. Samant, Vical's President
and Chief Executive Officer, "and we were able to secure the desired rights on
reasonable terms.  These new rights will allow us to explore additional
applications and further strengthen our leadership position in the field of
non-viral DNA delivery."

    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 additional patents held by others may complicate
future commercialization of Vical's product candidates; 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-                             10/31/2006
    /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 VLTS)

CO:  Vical Incorporated; Valentis, Inc.
ST:  California
IN:  MTC HEA BIO
SU:  TNM

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1683 10/31/2006 06:30 EST http://www.prnewswire.com