Vical Receives NIH Grant for an Immunotherapeutic Herpes DNA Vaccine; Herpes Experts at University of Washington and University of Texas to Conduct Preclinical D...( SAN DIEGO April 3 2008 /- Vical I...),Health

SAN DIEGO, April 3, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq: VICL) today announced that it has been awarded a two-year, $2.0 million Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) 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. The grant will fund the ongoing development of Vical's immunotherapeutic plasmid DNA (pDNA) vaccine against herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), a sexually transmitted virus which is the leading cause of genital herpes. The HSV-2 vaccine will also be evaluated with Vical's novel Vaxfectin(R) adjuvant.

The initial preclinical development activities covered by the grant will be conducted at the University of Washington School of Medicine and the University of Texas Medical Branch, both centers of excellence in herpes virus research. The vaccine will be designed for use in people already infected with HSV-2, with the goal of reducing or eliminating periodic viral flare-ups and the associated viral shedding and transmission.

"HSV-2 infection is an important medical need affecting quality of life for tens of millions of people worldwide," said Vijay B. Samant, Vical's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Chronic antiviral treatment carries a significant healthcare cost and contributes to the emergence of drug-resistant strains and increasing infection rates. A therapeutic vaccine that could control disease symptoms and transmission would be a welcome addition to the HSV-2 treatment arsenal. We are pleased to collaborate with leading academic research centers in addressing this critical public health need."

David Koelle, M.D., professor
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