Vical Obtains U.S. Patent for Cytomegalovirus Vaccines

San Diego drugmaker Vical said Tuesday that it received a US patent for DNA-based vaccines.

Vical Incorporated announced the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 7,888,112 covering DNA vaccines for cytomegalovirus (CMV) containing specific gene sequences and formulated with Vical's Vaxfectin adjuvant. The new '112 patent covers DNA vaccines containing codon-optimized versions of genes encoding gB and CMV phosphoprotein 65 (pp65) antigens, formulated with Vical's Vaxfectin adjuvant.

Past development by others of protein-based prophylactic CMV vaccines has focused on antibody-mediated immune responses against the CMV glycoprotein B (gB) antigen, which has achieved up to 50% protective efficacy. The new patent adds to Vical's family of patents in the United States and other key regions based on the company's discovery that administering genetic sequences such as DNA or RNA into the body, wi