SAN DIEGO, Sept. 3, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq:VICL) announced today the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 7,582,613 covering Vaxfectin(R)-formulated DNA vaccines for influenza. The patent provides broad coverage for any circulating or potential influenza viruses, including both seasonal and pandemic strains.
The company is currently developing Vaxfectin(R)-formulated DNA vaccines for both H5N1 avian-origin and H1N1 swine-origin pandemic influenza. Both vaccines are formulated with the company's Vaxfectin(R) adjuvant, a novel lipid-based formulation which has demonstrated significant immune-enhancing ability with a broad range of DNA vaccines and up to 30-fold immune-enhancing ability with a conventional seasonal influenza vaccine. Vaxfectin(R)-formulated H5N1 influenza DNA vaccines completed Phase 1 human testing in 2008.
DNA vaccines encode certain proteins associated with a target pathogen, rather than using any part of the pathogen itself, and can prime the immune system as well as induce potent antibody and T-cell immune responses. DNA vaccines contain no viral particles, are non-infectious, and can be administered on a repeat basis without unwanted immune responses. Additionally, DNA vaccines have the potential to achieve proof of concept more quickly and cost-effectively than conventional vaccines, and can be manufactured using uniform methods of fermentation and purification, allowing significantly faster development and production.
The new '613 patent broadly covers DNA vaccines formulated with any cationic lipid/co-lipid adjuvant formulations from the class including Vaxfectin(R), and targeting any strain of influenza. It adds to Vical's family of patents in the United States and other key regions based on the company's discovery that administering genetic sequences such as DNA or RNA into the body, without the use of viral delivery vehicles, may cause expression of the proteins encoded by the genetic sequences. Vical has additional issued patents covering the composition and use of the Vaxfectin(R) adjuvant.
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.
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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 the scope of coverage of and potential applications for Vical's patents, the potential uses and benefits of Vical's vaccine technologies and their potential application in vaccines against influenza, as well as Vical's focus, collaborative partners, and product candidates. Risks and uncertainties include whether Vical's technology will be successfully applied; whether Vical's issued patents will be challenged and whether such challenges will have an adverse effect on the scope of the patents; whether Vical will pursue enforcement of its issued patents or be successful in any such enforcement efforts; whether Vical will successfully prosecute additional patent applications and if so, whether such applications will lead to the issuance of additional patents; whether Vical or others will develop any Vaxfectin(R)-formulated influenza DNA vaccine candidates; whether the company's Vaxfectin(R)-formulated DNA vaccine candidates will be effective in protecting humans against any strains of influenza; 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.