SAN DIEGO, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vical Incorporated
(Nasdaq: VICL) today announced that it has been awarded a two-year,
$2.9 million challenge grant from the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an
agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Funding under the
grant will be released in stages contingent upon the achievement of
development milestones, and would support the development of a DNA vaccine
against naturally emerging or weaponized strains of avian influenza.
In the initial activities covered by the grant, Vical will be
collaborating with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tenn., a
world-renowned center of expertise in influenza research, including avian
influenza. The goal is to design a vaccine that could be developed and
manufactured quickly and safely, without handling the infectious organism, and
stockpiled longer than conventional vaccines. The vaccine is expected to
target both variable surface proteins and unchanging core proteins of the
virus for protection against potential pandemic outbreaks characterized by
highly virulent pathogens, rapid human-to-human disease transmission, and
minimal prior immunity.
"We believe that our DNA vaccine technology is well suited to address the
potential threats from emerging pathogens such as avian influenza virus," said
Vijay B. Samant, Vical's President and Chief Executive Officer. "The NIH is
also using our technology in the development of vaccines against other
emerging pathogens including the SARS coronavirus, Ebola virus, and West Nile
virus."
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 has retained all rights to its internally developed product
candidates. 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 serve significant unmet medical needs. Additional information on Vical is
available at http://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, including: whether the company will achieve the development
milestones needed to trigger the various stages of grant funding; whether the
vaccine under development will be safe and effective against naturally
emerging or weaponized strains of avian influenza; whether the vaccine will
provide advantages over conventional influenza vaccines in development,
manufacturing or stockpiling; 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 Atkins + Associates
(858) 646-1127 (858) 527-3486
Website: http://www.vical.com
SOURCE Vical Incorporated
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.vical.com
CONTACT:
Investors, Alan R. Engbring of Vical
Incorporated, +1-858-646-1127; or Susan Neath, of Atkins +
Associates, +1-858-527-3486, for Vical Incorporated
|
