May 19, 2011 (GlobeNewswire) --
SEATTLE, May 19, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq:VICL) announced today that the company will present a summary of Phase 2 data for the company's TransVax™ therapeutic cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine, and a review of clinical-stage DNA vaccine development programs, both at the 14th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, (Seattle – May 18-21).
Alain P. Rolland, Pharm.D., Ph.D., Vical's Executive Vice President of Product Development, is scheduled to present in a session starting at 11:00 a.m. PDT on Thursday, May 19. Dr. Rolland's presentation, "TransVax™ a Therapeutic DNA Vaccine for Control of Cytomegalovirus in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients: Results of a Phase 2 Clinical Trial," summarizes results of a Phase 2 trial of the company's TransVax™ vaccine in recipients of hematopoietic cell transplant.
Sean M. Sullivan, Ph.D., Vical's Executive Director of Pharmaceutical Sciences, is scheduled to present in a session starting at 4:15 p.m. PDT on Saturday, May 21. Dr. Sullivan's presentation, "Clinical Development of Plasmid DNA-based Vaccines for Treatment of Cancer and Infectious Disease," reviews the history and current status of clinical-stage DNA vaccine development.
About TransVax™
TransVax™ is a bivalent DNA vaccine containing plasmids (closed loops of DNA) encoding CMV pp65 and gB antigens for induction of both cellular and humoral immune responses. TransVax™ is formulated with a proprietary poloxamer-based delivery system. TransVax™ has received orphan drug designation in the United States for HCT and solid organ transplant patients.
About DNA Vaccines
DNA vaccines may offer both technical and economic advantages compared with conventional vaccine approaches. 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 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.
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.