Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq: VICL) has been recently issued U.S. Patent No. 7,105,574 covering both the novel Vaxfectin™ adjuvant and its use with conventional vaccines against infectious diseases and cancer.
Vical, Inc. holds previously issued patents in the United States and Europe covering the use of Vaxfectin™ with DNA vaccines.
According to Vijay B. Samant, Vical's President and Chief Executive Officer:
"Adjuvants are commonly included in vaccines to enhance immune responses or to reduce dosing. Currently, the only adjuvant broadly used in human vaccines in the United States is alum, which has not changed significantly in more than 50 years.
Vaxfectin™ is a key component of our avian flu DNA vaccine because of its superiority in animal models. We are exploring the potential of Vaxfectin™ as a dose-sparing adjuvant for conventional avian pandemic flu vaccines as well."
Vaxfectin™, whose formulations have demonstrated safety and adjuvant activity in DNA vaccine applications in multiple animal models (including non-human primates), is a novel adjuvant optimized by Vical to increase the immune response in DNA vaccines.
The new US Patent covers a class of cationic lipid/co-lipid adjuvant formulations, including Vaxfectin™ and their use with conventional vaccines based on proteins, polypeptides, and polysaccharides, including those containing all or part of a bacterial or viral pathogen.
Find more details from Vical press release.
Comment Preview