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18 Jul 2011

Vical and Astellas Ink Licensing Deal on Vaccine

Vical Inc. signed a potential $130 million-plus license agreement with Astellas Pharma Inc. for worldwide development and commercialization of a drug aimed at preventing a potentially fatal virus in stem-cell transplant patients.

San Diego-based drug developer Vical Inc. signed a global licensing agreement last Thursday with Japan's Astellas Pharma Inc. to develop and commercialize a drug aimed at preventing a potentially fatal virus in stem-cell transplant patients.

 

The companies expect to begin a multinational, Phase 3 registration trial of the cytomegalovirus vaccine, dubbed TransVax, in certain stem-cell transplant recipients. They also plan a Phase 2 trial in solid organ transplant recipients in the first half of next year.

 

Cytomegalovirus can cause respiratory illness and is suppressed by the immune system in most people. But it can cause transplant rejection if it flares up when a transplant recipient's immune system is suppressed during recovery.

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