( SAN FRANCISCO April 11 2007 /PRNewsw...)Vical's Vaxfectin Adjuvant Achieves Dose-Sparing Effect With,Seasonal Influenza Vaccine,Health

SAN FRANCISCO, April 11, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vical Incorporated today announced that a seasonal influenza vaccine formulated with the company's Vaxfectin(TM) adjuvant generated up to 60-fold higher antibody responses than an unformulated vaccine at the same dose in a recently completed study in mice. Formulation of sanofi pasteur's Fluzone(R) commercial vaccine with Vaxfectin(TM) also allowed a nearly 10-fold reduction in vaccine dose while generating equivalent or better antibody responses compared with unformulated vaccine, even at the lowest doses tested. Alain P. Rolland, Pharm.D., Ph.D., the company's Senior Vice President of Product Development, presented the data at the Drug Delivery 2007 meeting (San Francisco, April 9 - 11).

Vical is developing its own Vaxfectin(TM)-formulated DNA vaccine designed to protect against emerging strains of influenza virus that have the potential to cause a pandemic. In previously reported studies conducted at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Vical's lead Vaxfectin(TM)-formulated, DNA vaccine candidate provided 100% protection in mice and ferrets against lethal challenges with a highly pathogenic strain of H5N1 influenza virus. Initial human testing of Vical's influenza DNA vaccine is expected to begin in the second half of 2007.

Vical tested the Vaxfectin(TM) adjuvant with Fluzone(R) seasonal influenza vaccine to evaluate its potential to ease the anticipated shortage of stockpiled pandemic influenza vaccine and the limited global vaccine manufacturing capacity. In separate studies conducted by others, stockpiled sanofi pasteur H5N1 pandemic influenza vaccine with no adjuvant achieved target levels of antibodies in less than half the subjects after two 90 mcg doses -- a total of six times the normal 15 mcg dose of each strain that provides 75% to 90% protection against seasonal influenza.

The new Fluzone(R) study data confirm and expan
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